Take on me
by Niacin
Summary: When Ginny is sorted in Slytherin, Draco's life takes a turn. Starts at the end of Draco's first year. DracoPOV AU
1. Chapter 1 Summer vacation

Disclaimer: "Harry Potter" is the property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. This was written entirely for fun, not for profit and no copyright infringement is intended.

 _Hogwarts Express_

"I can't believe the great Git and his friends got last minute points," I mutter angrily. "We had the cup. We were in lead with more than a hundred points."

Pansy looked sympathetically at me, while nodding her head slightly. "Did you see professor Snape's face? He looked furious."

I smile at Pansy, I could always count on her. We sit in a train compartment with Greg and Vin. They avidly eating Bertie Botts beans. I then say. "A shame if you ask me, it is an embarrassment that he leads the school. If Severus would be headmaster.."

"Quite right," Pansy agreed easily with me. "We're almost on the platform. I guess this was it, our first year. Will Severus visit you over the summer?"

I smirk. "I expect so, he is after all my godfather. He has always visited and taught me potions. He says I have a real aptitude for the subject."

The train was slowing down. "We're there." Pansy says. "I'll see you over the summer, Draco." She nodded at Greg and Vin. "I'll see you at Hogwarts." Pansy left the compartment eagerly and headed towards the platform. Then I also went in search for my parents.

I am suddenly nervous, but feel myself calm down as I see my mother smiling at me. My father is not here. I feel a bit dejected that he was not here to pick me up after not seeing me for so long. I quickly walk to mother who warmly clasps me in a hug. Father would not be pleased with her public affections, as it was something that people beneath us did, but I really couldn't care less at the moment. Maybe it was kind of nice that father was not here, at least he would not look at me with that unhappy look.

Mother has an annoyed look on her face as she curtly says: "Father couldn't come, he is busy at the ministry." Her face then softens into a proud smile, which makes me stand a bit taller. "He was not very happy that you lost the house cup, but I'm so very proud of you, Dragon. Sev seemed to think you did so well this year. He was boasting about you. And you're growing so tall, let's get you home."

Her long fingers grab my shoulder and she apparates us home. "Dobby, bring Draco's suitcases to his room, prepare him a bath and prepare lunch." She then orders.

Dobby bowed. "Yes, mistress Lady Narcissa."

 _Home, sweet home_

After bathing I descend the stairs. My father sits at the dinner table. He looks furious and for a second I wish to not have to enter the dinner room now. I swallow. "Father, how good to see you. I heard you had business at the ministry."

Mother softly placed her hand on father's shoulder as if to calm him. "Sit down Draco. Your father is facing an inquiry at work. Let us just eat." The soft, kind words did not seem to have much of an effect.

Father started ranting. "I cannot believe they agreed with the inquiry that Weasley prompted against me. He is a disgrace to the name of wizards. Associating with muggles. Sinking as low as they can. Poor. More children than they can afford -"

I stayed silent, but felt hurt that this was my welcome home. My mother seemed to have noticed how I was feeling, as she suddenly spoke up. "Lucius, dear, let us not talk about those bloodtraitors. Your son just arrived, look at how much he has grown. Seemed like just yesterday he was just a little bundle in my arms." She smiled warmly at me. Lucius did not seem much calmer. Mother's half-hearted try did not make things better.

"You," father bellowed pointing his finger at me. I shrink into my chair. Mother seems to silently beg him to stop, but he ignores her. "How dare you disgrace the ancient and noble name of Malfoy? I expect you to be seeker for Slytherin next year and beat that Potter boy. It is embarrassing that Potter became the youngest seeker in a century."

I felt my heart beating fast. "But father -"

"No," he said angrily. "You disappointed me, Draco Lucius Malfoy, I also expect your school marks to pick up."

"It's not my fault," I say ashamed, feeling like the world was being really unfair at the moment. I just wanted him to tell me that he was proud of me.

"I would have thought you'd be ashamed that a girl of no wizarding family -a mudblood, would beat you," he said bitingly.

I felt horrible. "The teacher's all have favorites, that Hermione -"

"No, you better hope she did not beat you in every exam and next year I expect more of you." Then with an annoyed huff he walked out of the room.

Mother softly started to stroke my hair. "Oh Dragon, he did not mean it like that. He just expects much of you because he cares. He is proud, he is just angry. It's all Weasley's fault, okay." I felt weak, feeling a tear trickle down my cheek. Why couldn't I be stronger? "Little Dragon, don't cry, you'll do fine."

I felt stressed and upset. "What if I can't?" Anxiety grew. I did not like to disappoint. "Mum, I can't. That girl - that mudblood, she's brilliant."

She sighed. "Don't worry about it, I will talk to him."

We sit for a few seconds in silence. Mother then suddenly smiled. "You know what, he was once beaten by this younger student in a duel, one on one and she was a muggleborn." She chuckled and seemed to revel in in the memory.

I felt better. "Who?"

She bit her lips. "I never told you any of this." She winked at me. "Her name was Lily Evans."

"Potty-boys mum?"

She chuckled. "I see you gave him a childish nickname." I felt affronted. "Yes, Potter's mum. I hope you are not thinking too highly of that Hermione Grant?"

"Granger," I corrected her. "No, mother, I would never befriend a mudblood, she shouldn't even be admitted to Hogwarts. It is just, I cannot deny that she is talented. I like smart people."

Mother relaxed. "Theodore is quite smart. Or Blaise. Just as Pansy, who always has liked your company. She is a beautiful girl, right? Though you should keep Gregory and Vincent around, your father would not be pleased if you dumped them. He is befriended with their fathers. You know that."

"I don't want to play quidditch, I'm awful. Father knows that. Plus I prefer potions or astronomy."

Mother kissed my cheek. "He just wants to one-up that Potter."

"I will never make the team."

Then she looked quite guilty. "He plans to buy new brooms for the team if you will get the job of seeker."

I asked. "What about Adrian Pucey?" Who was the former seeker of the Slytherin quidditch team. Mother did not hear me.

Great, soon everyone will know that the only reason for me being on the team was my father buying my way on and I couldn't say that I had no interest in playing since it would seem ungrateful. Bugger.

 _Seeker_

I was reading an advanced potions book, when Lucius walked in. "Good news, Draco," he drawled. "Marcus Flint understood how useful it would be to have you on the team. I am so proud for you for making seeker."

I smiled, even though I shared Severus opinion on quidditch and I had done nothing to deserve the position of seeker, it was nice to hear father was happy with me, even if I only got seeker because of my father's "generous donation".

Lucius then continued. "You will be glad to hear that Severus is having dinner with us to celebrate and he will also bring your school results."

I suddenly felt sick. "Of course. Thank you, father."

Soon Severus walked in, his robes billowing behind him and a small scowl on his face while he looked at my father. He smiled at me and when he stood close enough to me that he could say something to me in private, he told me he was very proud of my grades.

I feel my throat go dry as I ask: "Did I beat Granger?"

He scowled. "No, but you did outstanding."

"Father will not be pleased." I sigh. "And now all the Slytherins will hate me because I am the worst quidditch player ever."

He scowled at Lucius, who did not seem to notice. "You never practiced a lot of quidditch, always reading books instead, maybe you will surprise yourself. I do not plan to lose against Gryffindor next year. That boy just got on because he is the golden boy."

I immediately object. "He is really good. Besides I just get on because my father paid my way in. That is worse."

I realise I should not have said that, for some reason Severus was blinded by hate when it came to Potter. Severus scowled. "How can you say that? He is a bully. Arrogant. Thinks he is above the rules. Just like his father."

I just held my mouth and listened to his ranting. For some reason Severus had really hated Potter even before the first class he'd taught him.

Dinner was a quiet affair after my grades were looked at. Father was disappointed as I had expected. Mother was proud though, that has to count for something right? Still mother's encouraging words did a poor job of cheering me up after father's harsh words.

 _School shopping_

We were going to do our shopping for the new school year. I got new robes, some wand polish from Olivander's, some new potion ingredients, owl treats for Arrakis and now we were going to the book store.

In Flourish and Blotts it was incredibly busy, apparently our new teacher had a signing session. I went upstairs where only two or three people where looking through books. Mother and father were standing in line for me. You'd think a teaching job at Hogwarts would not be glamorous and grande enough for the blonde man that looked a little bit too pleased with all the attention he got. Then I sighted the Git, that being Potter. Lockhart smiled delighted at Potter and dragged him to the front. Potter grew incredibly red and started stammering.

I ignored that I kinda felt bad for him and walked down the stairs. Anger was flaring up in me. Stupid scarhead, it was all his fault, I thought heatedly, being made seeker, being bested by Granger, dad having an inquiry at work. I snarled at Potter. "Bet you liked that, didn't you, Potter? Famous Harry Potter can't even go into a bookshop without making it to the front page."

Then a small, red-headed, freckled girl in rags stood in front of Potter, while looking furious at me. She quickly crossed arms. "Leave him alone."

I smirked. "O, look, Potter. You've got yourself a girlfriend!"

The Weasley girl then turned bright red. I felt pleased. Father then placed the silver snake of that ridiculous walking stick on my shoulder. He always liked to take that stupid stick with him in public, thinking it made him look powerful and rich, though I mostly thought it made him look stupid. "Now, now Draco, play nicely." He admonishes me.

Then father turned to Potter and I feel slightly horrified. "Mr. Potter. Lucius Malfoy. We meet at last. Forgive me." He used the silver snake to pull back Harry's bang and his scar is now no longer hidden from view. Potter looked guarded and clenched his fist. Father's action was obviously too intrusive. Father smiled at Potter. "Your scar is legend. As, of course, is the wizard who gave it to you."

Harry gritted his teeth. "Voldemort killed my parents. He was nothing more than a murderer. **"**

Father looked amused. "Hmm, you must be very brave to mention his name. Or very foolish."

The know-it-all then spoke up. "Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself." Of course she could not keep her mouth shut.

My father looked coldly at Granger. "And you must be... Miss Granger. Yes, Draco's told me all about you... and your parents." Father looks at the muggles and for once I wish that he would not call them mudbloods, especially with so many people around. "Muggles, aren't they?" I feel relieved. Then father focusses on Ron. "Let me see. Red hair, vacant expressions…" Father than takes one single book out of the Weasley girls cauldron, which he inspects. "Tatty, secondhand book." He smiles coldly. "You must be the Weasleys."

Then Arthur Weasley arrived and tried to walk past them with their children, without having to converse with father. I feel kind of glad. Then Arthur says: "Children, it's mad in here. Let's go outside."

Father though seems keen to pick a fight with Arthur. "Well, well, well. Weasley Senior."

Arthur grits his teeth. "Lucius."

My father looked ready to fight Weasley's dad. Please don't, I silently wish. "Busy time at the Ministry, Arthur. All those extra raids; I do hope they're paying you overtime."

Father gleefully shows the book he picked out of Ginny's cauldron. "Though judging by the state of this, I'd say not." He then places the two books back in her cauldron. "What's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard... if they don't even pay you well for it?"

Arthur now looked furious. "We have a very different idea about what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy."

Lucius Malfoy smirks. "Clearly. Associating with Muggles... And I thought your family could sink no lower."

Weasley's dad looks furious at father.

Father though finally is done. "I'll see you at work."

I looked at Potter, the Grangers and the Weasleys. I felt as though I had to say something to them. "I'll see you at school." I muttered softly. Then father dragged me away.


	2. Chapter 2 Sorting

_Going back to Hogwarts_

Both mother and father brought me to the platform. When I arrived Pansy flung her body at me. "I missed you," she gushes. She softly hit me on the shoulder and quickly let go of me, composing herself as if it had not happened.

I felt the disapproving gaze of father at the display of affection. My mother though seemed extremely pleased.

Mother had always loved Pansy. "Pansy dear, it is so good to see you. And look at you two. You two look so pretty together." She then hugged Pansy. "It's been too long. We missed you at the Ball in August and at my Charity event for St. Mungo's." Mother smiled warmly at Pansy. "I hope you had a good time in Spain? I don't think Draco has ever had to miss you for the whole summer, he was absolutely miserable."

I felt embarrassed. What does mother think she was doing? "I was fine," I said curtly.

Pansy glared at my words. "I wish we could attend, but Spain was very nice, Narcissa," she said turning to Narcissa. Pansy smiled warmly at my mother. She then grabbed her suitcase and turned expectantly to me. "I guess we should search for a compartment."

Mum gave Pansy and me warm hugs.

I scoffed. "Mum, I'm thirteen."

She just chuckled. "My little Draco," she whispered softly, "All grown up." Then she looked at both of us. "Have a good term, both of you. Write me." She turned to me again. "I'll send sweets every day, okay? For my little sweet-toothed boy."

Father then nodded as a way of saying goodbye. "Don't coddle the boy, Narcissa." He admonishes mother, then he turned to me. I felt tiny under his gaze. "I expect you will get higher grades this year than that muggleborn. Don't embarrass me again, Draco." Father's gaze then softened. "I hope you do well on the quidditch team." Father then softly smiled at me. "I can remember when I was on the team. I had the best time of my life. We will of course attend all your quidditch games. You will do great. I am certain of it. Have a nice term, Draco."

I wanted to speak against him. _I will be the worst quidditch player, you know that_. Or _I'm not you, why don't you see that_. Or _I don't even like quidditch_.

Instead I said: "I can't wait. Potter won't know what hit him, when I grab the snitch right before his nose. You'll be proud, dad." Father smiled at me. I smiled back.

My father may not really understand me or try to, but he did care and spoil me. He gave me what made him happy. I just abhorred it. He cared, surely that must be more then enough.

Pansy then grabbed my hand and pulled me away. She frowned, staring confused at me. "Draco," she demanded. "What was that all about? Have you hit your head! You don't even like quidditch. Besides you will never make the team, you are not that good. Sorry." She looked completely unapologetic.

This year was going to be horrible.

"Father," I said, while gritting my teeth, "Thought it was a good idea for me to be on the team. Imagine my horror. And Snape's, of course. He's always loved that I cared more for books. Don't worry about me making the team, he bought my way in, soon the Slytherin team will have brand new brooms." I had not meant to let the last words that tumbled out my mouth sound so bitter, but I felt really upset at that moment.

Pansy gripped my hand tightly. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that." Now Pansy did look genuinely sorry.

I felt calmer now. "It's fine."

"You'll do fine." She smiled warmly. "I'll cheer on you. Every. Single. Match. You know? It will be fine." I relaxed. Then Vin and Greg came into our compartment. Pansy smiled proudly then, looking at me a bit teasingly. "Hey guys, guess who made the quidditch team?"

"How did you do that, Draco? Try-outs have not even been announced, hell, we're not even at Hogwarts," Greg gushed.

I felt embarrassed again. "My father bought me onto the team, Greg."

Greg smiled warmly at me. "Lucky you. You'll do great."

I sighed. "Greg, of course I will not do great. He had to buy the whole Slytherin team new brooms. It is humiliating."

Vin seemed a bit distracted, looking onto the platform and genuinely did not seem to have gotten the point. "We'll cheer on you. You will beat Potter. No worries, right? You must be elated." I looked onto the platform where Vin's gaze was fixated, but I only saw the Weasley girl surrounded by more Weasleys. As if there weren't enough of them at school before.

I then irritably clarify I don't want to be seeker. "Look I hate quidditch, you guys know that. I did not want to be seeker. I will suck, okay? And everyone will know I bought my way in."

Understanding seemed to dawn as they started to look sympathetic. "Hey, if anyone bothers you about it, we''ll beat them for you," said Greg. Then Vin added: "Yeah, and we'll cheer on you. Every game." Maybe things would not be so bad. At least I had some true friends supporting me no matter what.

 _The sorting hat_

We had arrived at the castle and the sorting was about to begin. I looked at the first-years. I recognized the youngest Weasley, Ginny was it. I smirked, Potter seemed to have gotten himself a girlfriend. Where was that Git anyway? He was not sitting at the Gryffindor table, that was for sure. My godfather, was also absent from the teacher's tables. Maybe he got what he deserved.

The sorting had started. I leaned to Pansy. "The Git and Severus are gone, do you think he got into trouble?" She smiled at the idea, but apparently she did not know. Most of the time she knew everything before most people since she was always up-to-date on all Hogwart's rumors, having spread quite a few.

She could have quite a mean side. I did not care, her feelings were more important than others. She had made quite a few girls cry though. To make herself feel better, I guessed. Insecure about her nose, that some had called pug-nosed. Maybe it was a bit flat, I conceded, but to me it was very clear she was a very beautiful girl. She leaned over to Daphne, but she seemed to not have any idea either.

"Oh look," Pansy then whispered in my ear, "Another Weasley, covered in rags, surprised they could afford another one."

She looked quite pale, even with all her freckles. She walked to the front and McGonagall placed the hat on her.

I felt a bit surprised, shouldn't the sorting hat have shouted Gryffindor before it even touched her hairs? Like it did when the Hat put me in Slytherin and Ron in Gryffindor. She seemed to get redder and more nervous the longer it stayed silent.

Pansy gleefully smiled. "Can you imagine, Draco? What if she will be placed in Hufflepuff, think I'd rather leave, you?"

There seemed to be more and more people talking. Why didn't the girl just get sorted?

McGonagall then walked to the front. "Sometimes," she spoke, "A student will have a hatstall. This means that the sorting hat will take more than five minutes to sort a student. People have more than one defining trait and sometimes they are difficult to sort because they could fit in more than one house. I had one too."

She looked kindly at the Weasley girl. "The hat could not choose between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. It will make the right choice."

She then walked back.

After a few more seconds the hat then screamed: "Slytherin."

I felt my mouth drop open. I looked at the Gryffindor table, where the three Weasley boys look as shocked as I felt. Then one of the twins jumped on the bench of the Gryffindor table and started clapping really loudly, almost immediately he was followed by the other twin, who looked just as confused by her sorting, but they were smiling kindly at her.

It seemed to help Ginny, the girl actually smiled and started walking towards the Slytherin table. I joined the twins in clapping. I was the first of my house, but slowly the rest joined in. Pansy looked questioning at me. I lean towards Pansy. "Slytherins stick together, that's what Professor Snape always said."

She just nodded. Nobody seemed really sure of what to do, so I made room and waved her over to the open spot next to me. Ginny smiled grateful.

I did not really know what to do. Here I was sitting next to the daughter of the man that my father hated. He would not be very pleasant if he heard about it. And he always did, but I could not ignore my curiosity.

Vin then broke the tense atmosphere. "So not Gryffindor eh?"

She nodded.

I felt curiosity take over. A Weasley in Slytherin is quite unheard of, right? "So, what did the sorting hat tell you?"

She still looked a bit surprised. "It said I would make a good Slytherin."

She looked directly at me, like she was just talking to me, but I felt the whole house was listening to us. She must have felt it too, maybe that was why I felt her looking at me so intensely. "The hat said that I was one sneaky witch. I really like quidditch, you know? When I was five or six I always used to sneak out to fly at night on my brothers brooms."

Talking about her family seemed to make her feel more comfortable and she started smiling. "It said I was cunning. Always letting my brothers receive the blame, lying straight-faced to my mum."

Vin smiled kindly at her. "Well, Ginny, welcome to Slytherin."

Vin would really do well in Hufflepuff, except that his dad would probably kill him. "I'm Vincent Crabbe, next to me Gregory Goyle, that's Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson. But if you want to you can call us Vin and Greg. That's Daphne Greengrass, her sister Astoria is in your year -"


	3. Chapter 3 Howler

_Common Room_

I quickly learned I actually quite enjoyed talking to Ginny. As did my friends, Vin especially seemed taken to her. We were sitting in the great hall.

Then the food disappeared and Dumbledore walked up to the front. "The very best of evenings to you. It is another year at Hogwarts."

Dumbledore spread his arms wild as if physically welcoming all students. "Now, to our the new students, welcome. To our old students, welcome back. It is already late and tomorrow your first day of this years magical education will begin, so I ask you to follow your prefects to the common room. Sweet dreams."

"Slytherins, follow us," a small build guy then said. It was Adrian Pucey, the guy who used to be seeker. Would he be mad at me? Marcus had told me he would try-out for chaser. He stood together with a very tall girl, who was known as Gemma Farley. In my first year she was also a prefect.

I got Daphne to introduce Astoria to Ginny, who was talking animatedly with Garrick Newborne.

We walked through the wall in the dungeons that lead to the common room. It was nice to be in the low-ceilinged, dungeon-like place, it had a sort of comfort in it, that was indescribable, the greenish lamps and chairs and the green glowing at the end of the common room from the lake, it was nice to be at Hogwarts again.

I walked up to Ginny and before I knew what I did, I asked if she wanted to use my owl to write her parents, which she did.

 _Time for breakfast_

The following day I almost overslept and when I hastily walked to the Great Hall, I saw I was not the only one. Ginny was walking fast out the common room, but when I saw her walk the wrong way, I caught up with her. It wouldn't look good for a Slytherin to be late after all. "Oh Draco, you're late too. Could you please show me the way to the Great Hall?" Her ears turned red.

I nodded. "Come on, Weasley."

It was silent for most of the way back.

"Why do you call me Weasley?" She then asks. "You did it yesterday too." She frowned. "Vin and Greg and the others just call me Ginny, you should do the same, Draco."

I flinched. I did not want to get to comfortable with her. We were not friends. How would my father react to me befriending a in Slytherin sorted Weasley? I just did not want her to be an outcast, thought I'd lend her a hand. And now my friends liked her and I as well started to see the redhead as a potential friend. Well, Vin definitely accepted her into our group.

Ginny tentatively touched my arm. "Draco?"

"I just," I said, "I thought our fathers might not like us hanging out."

She then smiled carefree. "I'm not my father and your not yours, Draco. I think we are gonna be great friends. Thanks, you know, it was really cool that you offered me a seating spot yesterday."

I nodded numbly.

Together we walked into the Great Hall.

"You," Ronald yelled from the Gryffindor table.

At that moment McGonagall walked past. "Ronald Weasley, no yelling, do I make myself clear."

Ginny chuckled softly and I could barely make out her softly saying "prat."

McGonagall then stood in front of us. "You're late for breakfast, make sure you are not late for your classes." We nodded and quickly headed over to the table. We ate quickly and silent. Vin told us some story about some magical plants that grew in his uncle's garden. Then owl post arrived. I had gotten a letter and some sweets from mum, as expected. I actually gave a few to Ginny too.

Then one of the Gryffindors yells: "Look Ron Weasley's got a howler." Everyone was looking to one extremely red Weasley.

I heard Neville urge him to open the howler, otherwise it will only get worse.

I heard a loud, angry voice filling the Great Hall. "STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE —"

I leaned toward Ginny. "Your mother is one hell of a woman when she is angry. If you can lie to this I applaud you, fellow Slytherin," I told her.

She looked haughtily at me. "And don't you forget it Draco."

Ron and Harry were looking horrified. Well what the hell did they expect, taking a flying muggle car to Hogwarts. Merlin, they could have just send an owl.

Ginny's mother's loud voice filled the great hall. "— LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTH HAVE DIED — _"_ Well, I thought smiling, father probably won't care about my friendship with Ginny for now, probably being too gleeful with Arthur being in trouble.

 _"_ — ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED — YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME. _"_ I actually wanted to chuckle a bit, but seeing Ginny's horrified face, I as well as quite some Slytherins kept silent.

Then the howler flew to Ginny. The tone changes drastically. A loving and sweet voice could now be heard. "— Oh, and Ginny dear, congratulations on making Slytherin. It might be a bit of a surprise for us all, but I'm sure you will do fine there. Your father and I are so proud. We were happy that you wrote that letter on the night of your sorting, you're brothers always forgot to write. That was a beautiful owl you used by the way. Be good." The howler then flew back to Ronald, blew a raspberry at him and shred itself into pieces.

Ginny took off with Astoria and the other first years, to their first classes. I had Transfiguration.


	4. Chapter 4 Angry Pansy

_Transfiguration_

I sat at a table in the back of the classroom, next to Theodore. In front of me sat Pansy and Blaise. She was talking to Blaise, but her eyes remained on me. "Even you think she is good looking, don't you, Blaise, and we all know how hard you are to please!"

They were talking about Ginny.

Blaise looked annoyed. "I wouldn't touch a filthy blood trai-"

"Look, she is one of us now. She's in Slytherin," I told Blaise annoyed. Any time someone started talking trash on someone muggleborn or muggle friendly, calling them a blood traitor or mudblood I felt I had to join in. Knowing our fathers were friends and had the same ideology. It made me uncomfortable. I knew next to nothing about them and personally they had never done anything bad to me.

I felt Pansy's gaze boring into me. Was she hurt? No more like angry. She looked furious. "Pansy, what's wrong? You are like a little sister, why do you mind so much about redhead. You're pretty too."

Her gaze did not soften as I had hoped. "I'm like your little sister?" She sounded wounded. "You. Are. Such. A. Prat."

Then Professor McGonagall walked in and her presence effectively shut Pansy up. "Could I have your attention please? Right, now, today, we will be transforming animals into water goblets. Like so. One, two, three. Vera Verto." The cat at her desk now turned into a small goblet with a soft whooshing squeak.

I leaned to the front, so if I spoke softly, Pansy would hear, while McGonagall would not. "Look, I'm sorry, what did I do?" I asked bewildered. "Just don't act like such a girl."

She huffed angrily. "You should know. This is your fault, Malfoy."

"Don't call me that. I'm not my father. You know that." I leaned further to the front.

Shit, she looked really angry. "Maybe you should be more like him, what would your father say, associating with that-"

"Don't. You. Dare." I said a lot louder.

I felt hawk eyes focus on me. Professor McGonagall stood right in front of me. "Mister Malfoy, why don't you show the class how you turn your owl into a cup, now?"

I tapped the cup quite sharply, three times, pointed my wand directly at my owl Arrakis and said "Vera Verto."

A whining noise comes out of my wand. A spray-like jet shoots out of it and engulfs Arrakis transfiguring him into a goblet with two or three feathers sticking out.

Professor McGonagall gave me a curt nod, while changing my owl back. "Keep practicing, mister Malfoy. That was a fine try."

I nodded and kept practicing, Pansy would have to come later. No use in getting detention on my first school day.

Then the bell rang, Pansy quickly disappeared into the hall. Theodore seemed to make himself scarce, seeing that me and Blaise were in such a sullen mood. Blaise very much hated doing anything that would get his hands dirty, like Herbology, which was our next subject.

 _Herbology_

This was one of the subjects that we shared with the Gryffindors. Professor Sprout ordered everyone to form groups of four. I searched for Pansy's eyes in the crowd immediately, but she seemed to be ignoring me and quickly formed a group without me, consisting of Theodore, Daphne and Blaise. So I had to work with Vin, Greg and Longbottom.

Professor Sprout the called for silence. "Good, I see you have made groups. Today we are going to take care of mandragora's, can anybody tell me about it?"

Of course the first hand to be raised in the air was Granger's, as almost always. I sneered at her.

She huffed. "A mandragora, or a mandrake, is a plant with human-like roots. When matured its cry can be fatal to us."

Professor Sprout smiled encouraging. "Good job, Hermione, 10 points to Gryffindor, can somebody add something to that?"

Then, with a shaking hand in the air, Longbottom started speaking softly. "Mandrakes eat dugbog's, right? I think their leaves are used in potions. It is an ingredient in most potions. The root is used in healing as a sedative and pain killer in healing."

Professor Sprout then looked very fondly at Longbottom.

I sneered, why did teacher's always have to favor Gryffindor's?

"Oh Neville, very well done! 20 points to Gryffindor." Longbottom blushed bright red at Sprout's praise. "Everyone please put your earmuffs on. We are going to feed the Mandrake babies. The dugbogs should be sliced in very small pieces so the mandrake's won't get anything stuck in their throat. Let's start, okay?"

Still a bit annoyed I took one of the mandrakes out of the pots and a shrill, loud screaming erupted and one of the most ugliest, sandiest baby faces I ever saw appeared. I almost dropped the thing.

Greg and Vin started slicing up the dugbogs and Longbottom actually did not seem that incompetent. And before this, he even answered a question well.

Mind-boggling.

Why was he so awful at potions? Longbottom carefully fed the screaming, aggressively finger-biting and bugbogs outspitting mandragora.

He was oddly calm and determined. Maybe Longbottom would make an half-decent herbiologist. Although I would not admit it or ever say it to him.

When I got to the Great Hall Pansy was seated between a furious looking Daphne and an indifferent Blaise. Maybe I'd better give her some space to get less angry and I sat down elsewhere. "Hey Ginny, how's you first classes?"


	5. Chapter 5 Green hair

_A few days later I was in the common room when an angry Ginny stormed in. I snickered when I saw her green hair. She had her wand trained at me. "What the hell, Malfoy."_

 _"_ _I thought it was Draco," I said defensively._

 _She looked furious, I bet that she could give her mother a run for her money- not that they had any. "I can bloody call you how I want. Look. At. My. Hair. Tell me why Pansy hexed me and told me it was all your fault."_

 _I grew pale. "I don't know, okay? I don't."_

 _"_ _Well," she snarled. "You'd better find out. If it happens again, I'll hex you.." She then grew calmer, even a little too pleased with herself. "Believe me, you don't want to be on the receiving end of my bat bogey hex. It scared Fred and George from teasing me." I nodded hastily. "Good, now you've got an hour to turn back this curse, or I'll still hex you. Find me here, in the common room." She then walked to her dorm._

 _Library_

The problem was most Slytherins had no interest in helping out Ginny and getting in trouble with Pansy. Even the prefects turned an blind eye. When I asked Adrian Pucey, he asked if I was color blind, because he saw no difference. Maybe he did not like me being made seeker.

So I headed off into the library, searching frantically through all the books. I mean, there was no one I could ask, right? No one would really be inclined to help me, maybe Fred and George, since they were her brothers, but they could not be trusted. They still were pranksters.

At a certain moment Vin and Greg found me and offered to help. I kind of did not want them to get in trouble with Pansy, so I told them to practice transfiguration, so they'd get a good grade.

I took the next book, looked through the pages: nothing. "What are you looking for?" A certain buckle-teethed know-it-all then asked. I was not going to ask for her help. I was doing fine. Just fine.

"Nothing," I said snidely. "Keep your nose out of it."

She looked a bit embarrassed for a moment, then looked annoyed. I heard someone guffawing behind me. It was Theodore. "Draco," he drawled, "you really have a way with women, don't you?"

"Keep out of it," I muttered.

I looked at Granger, who looked funnily at me. "Well, I don't know why I even bothered with you. I'd just never seen anyone searching that frantically, like your life depended on it. I just thought to offer some help. Won't make that mistake again."

Then Pansy walked in. "It's like I don't even know you anymore, Malfoy. Are you serious?" She looked horrified at us. "You are talking to a mudblood."

"It's not -" I tried. "Look, Granger talked to me. I did not want her to. I'm sorry. I don't know why you are angry. Please, can't we just be fine. I've known you for so long. I almost missed you and it's only been half a day." I can't believe I admitted that to her. And in front of Granger and Theodore as well. Her glare actually softened. You know maybe she'd actually- "Can't you use the counter curse on Ginny? It is not really her fault, is it?"

Okay, that was definitely the wrong thing to say. "Why do you suddenly care so much about her? She's a- a-"

I felt tired. "What does it matter. I care for you too, you know that."

She then stormed away again. "I'm not so sure anymore."

In anger I kicked a book on the floor. I forgot Granger was still here. "What did that book ever do to you?" Theodore snorted. "Ginny is my friend. I'll help you." I looked up surprised. "I just- I only want to know. Please. What is a mudblood?"

I really did not know what to say to her. I shuffled my feet. "You know, a foul name for muggleborns." I coughed embarrassedly. "Ginny's hair is green."

Granger looked impressed. "That's a fourth year spell."

"How do you know that," I asked surprised.

"Well, you know.." She trailed off.

I laughed. Talking to her now seemed more normal. "Of course, you read the fourth year charms textbook already. Brilliant. You know the counter curse."

She took a book off the shell, searched through it and paused at a page. "Do you think I'm just a mudblood too?"

"I- I don't know." She nodded, shoved the book in my arms and ran away. I'd better find Ginny.

 _Common room_

When I walked through the wall, Ginny was already waiting for me, tapping her foot. "You're late."

"I should practice the spell probably, before.." I said.

She nodded. "You better."

I was extremely relieved when I finally cast the counter curse successfully. "Am I forgiven?" I asked with a tentative smile, women I had decided are a lot nicer if you don't turn them angry.

A curt nod. "Maybe."

Marcus Flint then harshly tapped my shoulder. "Quidditch practice tomorrow morning." He then walked away to tell the other team players, I presume.

Ginny looked surprised, but also a bit excited. "You play quidditch?"

I nodded hesitantly.

Then I heard a taunting voice behind me. "Oh yes, Draco, please enlighten us to how you made the team."

Ginny then looked annoyed at Pansy, while Draco winced. "I am sure Draco got on it quite spectacular." She then ignored Pansy. "Which position do you play?"

I winced. "Seeker."

"So does Harry," she then gushed.

Then Adrian Pucey, who was sitting in a corner of the common room, stood up. "Yes, Draco was very spectacular, not being able to catch the snitch, while I did, when I was trying out for _chaser_."

Ginny snorted. "Well, if you were better, wouldn't you then be seeker?"

"If you are so interested, then you should want to know that he bought his way in, did he not?" Pansy said menacingly.

Adrian Pucey glared at me. "Yes, he did, he'll probably make us lose the house cup."

I could not believe Pansy would have said that. I knew she was spiteful and could be hurtful, but she had never directed it to me. I did not even realize I was running away.

When I was outside I dropped myself in the grass. Then I heard Ginny's uncertain voice. "Did you really buy your way in?"

I was upset and did not really care about what I told who anymore as long as she stayed my friend. It was the first time I admitted to myself that Ginny had grown on me. "My father did, I did not want to. I don't even like quidditch, I like potions and astronomy."

She looked me over. "Well, you've got a fine build, we might be able to make a decent seeker out of you."

"Really?"

"Really."


	6. Chapter 6 Quidditch

_Quidditch_

When I woke up I felt my stomach churning. Ginny was trying to get me something to eat. "Look," she said, "If you don't eat, you'll fall straight off your broom. Have something." She kept badgering me and I ended up eating some fruit and bread. "Don't worry," she said, smiling encouraging, "I'll cheer on you, afterwards I'll give you pointers and we'll practice what you should do better." I felt myself wincing a bit, didn't Pansy say the exact same thing a few weeks ago? "You know, you are really silent, what's up?"

Just don't think about Pansy. "Just nervous, I guess."

"Well you don't want to be late." Ginny swished her hair over her shoulders and looked back at me, expecting me to follow. Which I did. At the broom closet Ginny handed me a new Nimbus 2001. We joined the rest of the team. Flint nodded at me. We walked towards the pitch, where the Gryffindor team was playing. They landed in front of us and Granger and Weasley were fastly walking towards us. I wanted to disappear.

Ron gave Ginny a betrayed look. "What are you doing with him?" He shot me a venomous look.

She smiled in an angelic way to him. "What do you mean, Ron? I am merely supporting my team and, of course, Draco."

Ron spluttered. Wood then stepped closer to Flint. "We reserved the pitch, Flint," Wood said, "You have no reason to be here."

Flint smiled, taking a piece of paper out of his pocket. "Actually Wood, we do. I got permission of professor Snape. We've got a new seeker to train. Don't we, Draco? And thanks to a generous donation of Lucius Malfoy, we've all got new broomsticks."

I flinched. Why did he have to say that? Then Granger spoke up. "Well at least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy his way in, they all made it on pure talent."

I felt furious. Why did that little know-it-all have to put her nose in everything? "No one asked you anything, mudblood," I spat out.

All Gryffindor's howled angrily at me. I felt Ginny pointing her wand at me threateningly, but Ron interrupted her before she cursed me. "You will regret this," he yelled, "you will EAT SLUGS." While Ginny yelled back at Weasley. "No, don't curse him. You wand is broken, you could seriously-"

Then the curse hit Ron, who started vomiting slugs. "-injure yourself," Ginny then finishes, "Or Draco."

Then Ron looked furious at Ginny. "So it's Draco to *vomits slug* you now, is it? Did you not hear what he said?"

Ginny then looked very upset suddenly. "I did, and I am not too happy about it. But Hermione said some hurtful stuff too, did she not? Besides your wand is broken, you should not be casting either way. Get a new one."

Ron's face only grew redder. Maybe it would explode soon, I hoped it would, but instead it didn't. "Well, I cannot help it I'm not mum's precious little girl. Am I? She should be angry at you, disappointed, not me." He shouted. Everyone else grew silent.

Ginny narrowed her eyes at Ron. "You, Ronald Billius Weasley, got dad to face an inquiry at work, I just got sorted in a house, sent mum letters and got good grades. I kept to the rules. Of course she is proud of me. But you, I hope a slug gets stuck in your throat." She then linked her arms through mine. "Come on Draco, let's go."

I walked her to the stands, while the Gryffindors helped Ron walk away. Ginny looked upset, but she did not cry, which I was glad for. I wanted to ask if she was okay, but she nodded to the pitch. "Come on, start flying then." She sat down in the stands and took an old, black, leathery book form her backpack in which she started writing, occasionally glancing at me. It was nice quidditch weather. Warm and sunny.

Flint was screaming loudly at all of us, but mostly at me.

To embarrass me, Adrian Pucey and Terrance Higgs seemed happy to bail their job as chasers and to catch the snitch, making Flint only angrier. "Pucey, Higgs, get out of that dive and get to tossing those quaflles. Try to get past me. And Malfoy, are you blind? Get. That. Snitch. Now."

After quidditch practice, which was horrendous and tough, I flew over to Ginny, who was writing in the black book, not even noticing me landing next to me. "Ginny, what did you think?" I ask her.

She looked up, completely confused. "Whatdya say?"

"Quidditch, Gin," I said, "What did you think?"

"Um, you should hold your broom differently, makes it easier to fasten faster or slow down faster, which helps you in diving. Wait- okay, like this. Got it?" I nodded. "So you can pull out later, okay? And you've got a horrible technique for finding the snitch. If you can't find it, you can't catch it."

Her eyes looked a bit glazed again and she took hold of the black book again. "I've got to do something."

She then left me at the quidditch pitch gazing confusedly at her.


	7. Chapter 7 Halloween

_DADA_

I was happily anticipating the Halloween feast and tonight it would finally arrive. The rumor was that Potter had promised to go to the deathday party of the Gryffindor ghost. Why someone would ever do something like that was beside me.

I was writing a paper for transfigurations during DADA. Lockhart was incredibly incapable, even more so than professor Quirrel. I could hardly waste my time listening to that idiot. My thoughts then drifted towards Ginny. Last time I had seen her was in the library and she had seemed a bit off. She had been avidly writing in that black book of hers.

It was not a new thing. The past few weeks Ginny had been thoroughly distracted and was writing more and more in that black, leathery book of hers. Whenever I would ask her about it, she snapped at me, so I had stopped asking. She also seemed to be isolating herself more and more. I never really saw her hanging around Astoria either like she did at the start of the school year. If Astoria or Vin and Greg wanted to see her, they had to search her and she always looked so incredibly confused to see them as if they did not go to the same school and were in the same house. It was actually Greg who had noticed it and was growing worried. _Maybe she was just missing her family, I mean, the Weasleys always seemed so close. Or maybe school work was too much_.

"Malfoy," professor Lockhart said, interrupting my thoughts, "Are you listening to what I was saying?" He shot me a broad smile, showing off his white teeth. I wanted to snap at him. _Of course not. Why would I ever listen to that utter idiot?_

Well, better not serve detention with him, I decided. "Of course," I sneered, "You were reenacting one of the scenes from your books. Quite the actor you would have made, Professor, if I may add. And so humbling for us to meet the hero from the tales." A bit of flattery went a long way with that humongous bighead.

Professor Lockhart nodded happily, continuing on with his useless tales.

That book that Ginny always carried with her, bothered me more and more. At first I just thought it was a diary, but the more time I spend thinking about it, the less plausible it seemed. Ginny just did not seem the kind of girl that wrote in a dairy, but on the other hand I was no expert on girls, far from it, otherwise Pansy and I would not be fighting. I'm probably just overreacting, I then thought. Am I really that desperate for her full attention?

Maybe I was just missing Pansy.

Yeah, that was probably all.

 _The Feast_

I found Ginny walking in the halls. "Hey Ginny," I called. "Excited for your first Halloween Feast at Hogwarts?" She turned around and I notice she looked a bit pale. "You okay?"

She smiled, but her eyes looked a bit vacant. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bit tired. Thats all."

It made me a bit uncomfortable. Was she the only student that was not excited for the feast? "Let's go to the great hall, okay? It will be great. I even heard a rumor that Headmaster Dumbledore has booked a troupe of dancing skeletons for entertainment!"

She then said "Yeah, yeah, of course I'm excited. First feast at Hogwarts."

I felt a bit unsure. "It will be great. It will be decorated thousands of live fluttering bats. There will be into lanterns carved pumpkins that are so huge that you could sit in there with three people." I hooked my arm through hers. I felt myself getting more and more excited and I did not notice her not matching it. Just as I did not notice her nervously stroking the black, leathery book in her pocket. "And the food, Ginny, is absolutely brilliant. Carrot cake. big lollipop, black cauldrons.."

Then Greg and Vin joined me, smiling excitedly. "Yeah," Vin said, "The food will be brilliant. You'll love it, Ginny."

Greg nodded. "And there is always some sort of entertainment afterwards. Last year the ghosts popped out of the walls and did some gliding in formation and stuff."

When we walked into the Great Hall, it looked just as brilliant as last year. I felt myself in awe again.

The feast was nice. I enthusiastically dug in all the sweets, just as Vin and Greg did. Pansy actually smiled fondly at me. The feast seemed to get everyone in an outstanding mood. Greg was telling stories about his uncle's magical plants, Vin about that one time he tried to bake when he was seven, afterwards his mother taught him baking very well. And Pansy was talking to me. "You're mother would be horrified, seeing you eat that much candy," she said. "You are going to be bouncing though our common room."

It felt so familiar and right that I totally forgot the cold shoulder that she was giving me. I stuck out my tongue. "Well, you'll manage with me being twice as annoying."

She sighed dramatically. "I don't know. Can't you just get lost?"

I laughed. "Dream on. I'm going to keep annoying you till the day I die." Then Ginny stood up rigidly, I had not noticed, till Greg asked Ginny if she was okay.

"Yeah. I just.. I gotta go to the toilet," she squeaked. Then she quickly walked out of the hall.

Pansy was looking at me shyly. "You're not going to run after her?"

I felt confused. "Why would I follow her to the toilet?" Merlin, women could be strange sometimes.

She then stood up and took the now empty place next to me and she put her arms around my shoulder.

I looked happily at her. "So we're fine again?" I took a giant lolly and put it in my mouth.

"She rolled her eyes. "You're such a sweet tooth," she then complained. SO we were fine, I thought giddily, this was a good day. "You're even worse then Greg and Vin, though you eat less."

 _The writing on the wall_

The the feast was done, I walked with Pansy, Vin and Greg though the halls. Ginny joined us. Then we saw Potter looking frozen at the wall, where in blood red letters was written. "THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE." Below that Filch's cat was hanging petrified from a torch bracket. If Potter would stretch his hand to the front, he could touch Ms. Norris. Ron and Hermione stood next to him, looking genuinely shocked. Pansy then yelled: "Enemies of the heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!" While she said that she looked straight at a furious looking Hermione. Then Pansy moved closer to Ginny, who had put her trembling hand on my shoulder. Pansy's eyes were at the place where Ginny's hand rested on my shoulder. "Or maybe the blood-traitor in Slytherin will be next."


	8. Chapter 8 The chamber of secrets

_Common room_

I sit with Pansy, Vin, Greg, Theodore, Blaise, Daphne, Astoria and Millicent in a circle. Ginny, who looked terribly afraid, was being held protectively by Vin. "Hey," I then said softly, "So, um, Ginny, what do you know about the chamber of secrets?"

Ginny looked confused. "How would I know? No, never heard of it."

Why was she so scared then, if she had never even heard of it? She had never seemed like a person that could be so afraid. She had seemed to be quite dauntless. I felt confused. "Oh, well, anyone else got something?"

"Well," Theodore then said, "I believe it was rumored that Salazar Slytherin built a room which contained a monster that would rid the school of muggleborns. The room, of course, has never been found. So, maybe it is just some crude joke from a student of the upper years."

"What about Potter?" Pansy said with an accusing tone. "He was there and he was missing from the feast."

"Potter," Theodore then drawled, "may be good at defense. But now you are just giving him way too much credit."

Pansy looked affronted. "Well, he defeated the dark lord when he was a baby. You don't know-"

Daphne interrupted her with a snappy voice. "Please, like a baby could ever hold that much power. His parents must have done something. Besides no one was there when -."

"Exactly," Pansy howled, "No one was there. Anything could have happened. Personally I would not trust that Potter."

"But," Greg then asked confusedly, "why would he let himself get caught. Plus, why would he attack Filch's cat. No one sane would do that."

"Yeah," I added, "Good point, Greg. Besides Potter loves muggleborns. It makes no sense."

Pansy then smiled viciously. "Well, maybe he's finally being sensible. Who would not want to get rid of that annoying know-it-all?"

Daphne smirked. "Good one, Pansy!" Ginny and Astoria looked a bit annoyed. Actually, Vin and Greg looked a bit uncomfortable too at Pansy's words. However it made me chuckle.

I was nodding thoughtfully. "So it's not Potter."

"Agreed," Theodore said quickly. "He could never have the skill, especially not with those idiots that get to teach us. It is a miracle that everyone in our year can cast sparks and that is not even offensive. It is just to get help."

I nodded. "So it must be a joke from an older year in our house." That sounded plausible.

Vin turned to Ginny. "Well, then don't worry about it, if it's just an older year, he'll probably get caught soon."

That was nice of Vin to say and I felt myself smiling at those two. "Well, I'll write a letter to my father. Just to be sure, maybe he'll know more. It will probably soon be solved though."

Millicent then spoke up. "We should probably head to bed." She had been hugging her two cats Mimble and Drimble the whole time and walked with both of them tightly in her arms to her dormitory.

 _History of magic_

It was highly boring. Professor Binns just kept droning on about goblin wars, that were, when Severus taught it to me, extremely interesting and quite gory. Then Granger raised her hand. At first Professor Binns took no notice, which was not surprising as he often did not seem to notice anything happening around him, I mean, if the story was true, he had not even took notice of dying and instead just kept giving lessons. There could be a death eater attack and he'd just continue.

The small, elderly ghost then smiled at Granger. "Yes, miss Gravey, what is your question?"

Granger looked very determined. "Granger, sir. I was wondering if you could maybe tell us something about the chamber of secrets?"

Professor Binns then looked a bit disappointed. "I'm here to teach you history of magic, to learn you about facts and not about myths and legends."

Granger though looked far from deterred and she was in fact already raising her hand again. "Yes, miss Graner," Professor Binns then said.

"Granger," she said. "But, sir, is there not some truth in every myth?"

Professor Binns then looked like he wanted to say no, but then seemed to change his mind when he looked through the class. His reasoning could not be clearer when I scanned through the class, seeing every student sitting straight and paying rapidly attention. It must be something that had never before happened to this professor. "I guess I could tell you something about the chamber of secrets." When he said this he actually got a few people cheering. If anyone had told me that people would cheer something Binns said, I would have probably never believed it."After which we will of course get back to the seventh goblin war." Now people were groaning. "The myth goes that when our four founders, Salazar Slytherin, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Godric Gryffindor, who each have created their own house, created the school, Salazar Slytherin disagreed on one point with the other founders. Salazar Slytherin disagreed with the other Hogwarts founders about the importance of Blood Purity and the acceptance of Muggle-borns at Hogwarts. As the other Founders were against him in this matter, Slytherin left the school. According to legend, before he left, Slytherin created a secret chamber deep underground, known as the Chamber of Chamber was home to a monster, that was allegedly supposed to purge the school of all Muggle-borns. Now, back to the goblins." He looked happy with the attention he received, though he did not seem to like the subject very much.

Finnegan then interrupted professor Binns. "If the Chamber can only be opened by Slytherin's true heir, no one else would be able to find it, would they?"

Binns looked thoroughly annoyed. "Nonsense O'Flaherty. If a long succession of Hogwarts headmasters and headmistresses haven't found the thing—"

Parvati Patil then interrupted. "But, Professor, you'd probably have to use Dark Magic to open it—"

I think this is the first time I have ever seen something get to professor Binns as he interrupted Parvati."Just because a wizard doesn't use Dark Magic, doesn't mean he can't, Miss Pennyfeather. I repeat, if the likes of Dumbledore—"

Then Thomas interrupted. "But maybe you've got to be related to Slytherin, so Dumbledore couldn't—"

Now Professor Binns seemed to reach his limit as he screamed: "That will do. It is a myth! It does not exist! There is not a shred of evidence that Slytherin ever built so much as a secret broom cupboard!" And he finally could go back to his lecture about goblins.

 _Quidditch_

The first quidditch game had come faster then I had expected. With Ginny having being thoroughly distracted the last few weeks, she had not been much help to me. Pansy though seemed to be a constant once again. She had even threatened to hex me so bad that I couldn't sit on my broom without crying, if I ate nothing before the game.

Now I was standing on the pitch. I was feeling very nervous. I felt Potter looking very determined at me. I searched for Pansy in the crowd. She was wearing a lot of green and silver and she smiled encouragingly at me. _I can do this_ , I told myself.

The game begins and as soon as Potter is circling through the air looking for the snitch, just as I was doing, a bludger streaks towards Potter. The bludger then continues to aim for him. Like someone had messed with it, but who would be able to do that? I looked at the crowd, who seemed to be as bewildered a me by the aggressive bludger. Then Fred and George start protecting Potter. The Slytherins were then scoring goal after goal. I felt calmer and chuckled. Potter sent me an angry glare, but then had to focus on the recurring bludger again. Come on. Let's find that snitch.

I had no success and then the Gryffindor's ask for a time-out.

Flint looked very happy. ""I don't know what got into that bludger, but one thing is sure: we are scoring point after point and Potter will never get the snitch with those Weasleys trailing him. Come on, Draco, get that snitch, will you? No reason to keep the game going for so long." I nodded embarrassedly.

We were up in the air again. Potter seemed to have realized that having himself trailed would be a sure way to lose the game and he was now spectacularly diving to not have his head bashed by a bludger. I really should get focussed or else Potter would get the snitch before me, even with a trailing bludger. What did Ginny say again? I changed the hold on my broom and got back to flying around. If you can't find the snitch, you can't catch it. So I searched for a golden flash as best as I could. Then Potter got hit by a bludger, but he quickly got back on and pulled for a dive, I then saw a golden flash and I dived in the same direction. Come on.

Potter was much faster and was already outstretching his hand. I could surely give up, right? But then I heard Ginny say, the fight is only over if the other has catched the snitch, not if it really looks like the other is going to catch the snitch. Don't give up too early.

At the moment Harry was going to close his hands around the snitch a bludger came that knocked into Potter. Ouch, that had to hurt. Potter was still on his broom, but was now trailing after me and I could almost get it, If I reached for it. I closed my hand. I did it. I got the snitch! Then I heard a loud crack behind me. Potter had fallen to the ground, his arm sticking in a weird angle. The victory now felt a bit bitter, I only won thanks to that mad bludger.

But when I landed, all Slytherins were cheering loudly and Pansy hugged me fiercely. "You did it! You caught it. You were brilliant." And maybe, for me, I was. Even when I practiced alone or with Ginny, without the distractions of other players, or bludgers or quaffles, I had trouble spotting and catching the snitch, and now in a game I did.

I smiled broadly. I then felt a hand on my shoulders.

"Draco," my father drawled, "That was quite a catch. I knew you had it in you. Congratulations on your first win." My father had his chest puffed and looked proudly at me. My mother drew me in for a hug and whispered softly "I'm so proud of you, sweetie." While Severus gave me a curt nod, which might not seem like a lot, but it showed he was pleased.

Maybe quidditch wasn't so bad.

Then Flint dragged me away. We were going to have a party in the common room tonight. We had won after all.


	9. Chapter 9 Dueling club

_Common room_

Life was good. Music was playing loudly. Pansy was trying to get me to dance with her, while I was arguing with Ginny that maybe I wasn't quite as bad as a seeker.

I swear it, right before Pansy pulled me into a dance, I heard Ginny utter: "You just wait, Malfoy. I'll make you a decent seeker before you graduate."

See, I am not hopeless.

The rest of the evening I was not able to spot Ginny anywhere, but I was thoroughly distracted by the party. After countless quidditch stories retold and butter beers, with sore feet from dancing with Pansy, I finally fell asleep.

The next morning breakfast was quiet. Potter's fanboy was petrified.

 _Library_

Potion class just ended. Professor Snape is still yelling at Potter. He must have had a death wish, throwing a firecracker into the cauldron of Blaise and Greg. Got halve of the students drenched in swelling poison. Vin then nudged me. "Joining me?" I nodded.

"So, what are we heading for?" I asked.

Vin looked a bit flustered. "Well, you know. Ginny just seems a bit.. shaken up the last few days and all. Wanted to make sure she was alright." Classic Vin, I thought, bulky guy, but really just a pile of mush. "She's usually in the library, you know, writing in that book. She does that a lot." He then smiled happily. "She's so concentrated when she writes, like she forgets everything around her." That quite detailed for Vin. Wait - I smirk, Vin fancies Ginny. Well, if he does, his father better not find out.

Vin seems not to notice my growing smirk. "Maybe Hermione is with her, sometimes she does that, sits with Ginny, even helped me with transfigurations, you know I need it."

I grew uncomfortable. Hanging out with Ginny was one thing, but Granger? What would father say.

Vin smiled at me teasingly. "Don't be like that, you are not a hundred procent your father." My face must have shown how ludicrous the idea of me being decent to Granger was.

I sighed. "I'll play nice."

Vin looked happy with my reply. "You know, she helped you. I heard you were pretty terrified when Ginny threatened to hex you. Did you ever thank her?"

I started spluttering "I.. well, what.. I mean.. No." Vin must have gone crazy. "Of course I did not, you know I cannot thank a you-know-what." Boy, I chastised myself, get yourself together. Malfoy's are eloquent and certainly do not splutter. "Besides she ran of."

We arrived at the library. I shortly hoped that Granger would not be sighted near Ginny, but I had no such luck. Vin clapped my back. "Guess Granger is here too." He seemed quite happy about it. "You know, I was quite nervous about you knowing about me hanging out a lot with Gin and Hermione, but thanks for being so cool about it."

Vin happily strides towards the table where Ginny and Granger are seated. I followed him, my father probably would never find out, right?

Ginny is furiously scribbling in her notebook. There is just something about that book. Something odd. Like I have seen it somewhere around the manor, but that would be ridiculous. One, how could she have gotten it. Two, what would such a dreadful looking book do in our manor.

Vin nudged me. Granger is looking at me wearily. "Thanks for uhh, saving me from Ginny's wrath."

Now she looked just confused. "You know, the counter spell? Green-haired Ginny?" It seemed to ring a bell. Now it just got awkward. She looked at me with preening eyes, like she was asking me if I wasn't going to mock her. She did not seem to realise that it would be actually quite what-I-deserved, or something like that, if she would mock me. I had not been kind to her. Not everyone is like that, besides she has probably been a bit too much on the role of the harassed kid and not the bully.

Granger seemed to relax, but still looked warily at me. It kind of wanted to make me run away. But Malfoy's do not run away. Grangers do. "So," I started, "That book-thing Ginny has, is it healthy?" I winced, how very eloquent, father would be ashamed. Well, I am already talking to granger, I am kind of ruining it already.

Granger looked a bit conflicted between laughing and anger. "For you information, books don't cause diseases," she snapped, holding her book protectively.

I felt my face colouring. Vin did seem quite distracted by Ginny, who was still fully concentrated on her black notebook. How could it have not been full?

Come on, Malfoy, be eloquent. "What I meant to say was, I'm worried about Ginny. It is like the book has kidnapped my red-headed friend." Good, that sounded kind of smooth.

Granger pursed her lips, not in disgust, but thinking briefly on it. "She is really protective of it. Plus, I have never seen her as such a book person. You make a point it is weird." She then looked at the clock, seems to be shocked at the time and says: "Shoot- potion, I mean, I really have to go to.. the loo, see you another time, Malfoy" Exactly, Malfoy's do not run away. I thought, Grangers do.

Vin seemed to have stopped ogling at Ginny and now looks mostly nervous. Maybe a little nauseous. I gave him a pointed look. "Talk to her." Then I walked away.

 _Dueling club_

"I hope professor Snape holds the duelling club," Theodore said, "Imagine what sort of spells he'd be able to teach us."

I smirked, already knowing that he was asked to lead the event together with Lockhart. "Then we would have our first decent lesson in defence of the dark arts," I said happily. He told me when we had tea this morning. I could not wait to see him take Lockhart down a peg or two.

And he did take him down. I smirked. That's my godfather, I thought, as he tossed Lockhart through the room using expelliarmus. I started applauding happily and almost every student joined in, laughing and cheering on Severus. Well, he deserves to be liked for a change, I mused.

Lockhart quickly stands up and tells everyone that he let Severus win. Seriously? He could beat him without a wand. Then he starts making pairs of students to duel, probably too chicken to loose from Severus again. I'm paired with Potter. Then mayhem ensues. Weasley's wand misfires and he hits Seamus, Granger is in a headlock from Millicent and I'm firing a tickle and leg-locking jinx at Potter, while narrowly missing his expelliarmus.

Then Lockhart tries to get the students attention, failing miserably. One "silence" from Snape and all students stop dueling. Lockhart calls Longbottom and Finch-Fletchey on stage, but Snape interrupts. Now I am eye to eye with Potter. Severus strides towards me and whispers instructions for a spell in my ear. Potter looks wearily to us. I had never heard of the spell, but coming from Severus, it couldn't be too bad. He hated Potter, sure, but he would not let me get into too much trouble, right?

So after bowing I raise my want and yell "Serpensortia." An angry black snake is conjured from my wand and is hissing at Finch-Fletchey. Severus nods at me, looking extremely pleased. He just wants to stride forward, showing all students that he is always in control, but Lockhart flings the snake into the air while telling everyone that there is no reason for panic and that he will deal with it, making it hiss even angrier. It is looking dangerously towards Finch-Fletchey. Then something happened no-one saw coming. And I mean no-one. Potter started talking to the snake, that seemed to only get even angrier at Finch-Fletchey.

I felt shocked. Potter cannot be a parselmouth. He is a Gryffindor. His mother was a muggleborn. It is an extremely rare talent. Salazar himself was a parselmouth! How could Potter be a parselmouth?

Then before the snake can attack, Snape destroys the snake and the rest of the dueling club is cancelled.


	10. Chapter 10 Partners in crime

_Rough days_

The following days were filled with mostly whispers. Could Potter be the heir? I mean, he was a parselmouth and he seemed pretty intent on killing Finch-Fletchey, who was only two days later petrified. Or was it just coincidence? I mean, its Potter. But still, how did Potter always seem to be there first?

I was sitting with Vin and Greg. Greg nowadays seemed to mostly fill his days trying to befriend a wood truckle in the forbidden forest. He always had a way with magical creatures. And Vin was mostly following Ginny around, hopelessly trying to cheer her up. "Ginny seems so frail the last few weeks and I can barely find her the last few weeks. She is always so scared and confused. Have you seen her this week?"

I shook my head. "You know I have not. I would tell you." I reassured him, then I change the topic, bored from Vin constantly worrying over Ginny. "So are you going to send her a valentines card?"

Vin turns red. "She is still gushing over Potter," he mutters sourly.

 _Lost girl_

I quickly stopped her from walking past me. Ginny looked at me, with scared, confused eyes, a pale face that made her freckles stand out even more and her red hair looking a bit frazzled. "Hey Gin, you look pale, you alright?" I asked. I noticed that this was the first in a long time that she did not seem to have the book with her.

Ginny quickly mumbled "fine."

Why do girls act so strange, I thought annoyed. Maybe teasing her will get her out of her mood, she must be used to it, considering her brothers. "I did not know you were such a poet," I joked. "Rhyming toad and blackboard together, how very unusual." Ginny did not smile, but looked quite miserable. "Hey, come on, bet Potter did not know it was from you. Don't feel bad, a lot of guys would be happy to go out with you." Ginny seemed very quiet today. "It's not Potter's fault we barely see you anymore., right? Vin misses you. We all do. We are worried about you. I'll hex Potty-boy for you, that's what friends do, right?" She opened and closed her mouth a few times, looking like she wanted to say something but could not get it out.

She then finally answers. "I'm alright. Just a bit anxious, lots of school work, all this stuff with you know, the petrifications."

"Just. Join us tonight in the common room. We'll play exploding snap with the others. You will have fun."

She nodded.

 _Exploding snap_

Vin was thrilled to see Ginny join us for exploding snap. "Hi guys, Draco begged me to lose from me with exploding snap." Everyone chuckled, myself included. Vin quickly made room for her and then looked shyly from Ginny to the empty space next to him.

It was a good night, but the strange thing was when Ginny woke me in the middle of the night, telling me to get up, because she needed my help. She looked frantic. When I did not immediately do what she wanted me to do, she threatened me. "Just get up, or I'll tell everyone that you still sleep with your dragon-thingy." I glared with her and followed her down to the common room.

She then said the last thing I expected. "Get me into the Gryffindor common room."

I frowned. "You are a Slytherin."

She was fidgeting. "I know. I just need to get into the common room."

"Ask your brothers," I said slowly. How would I know how to get into the Gryffindor common room.

Ginny looked extremely upset. "Ron is still mad at me. The twin's cannot know and Percy's a stickler for the rules, you need to help me." I crossed my arms. "Please."

I nodded.

"Can you not talk about something else with the twins, near the common room, then just remember the password and sneak in?"

She snorted. "About what?"

It grew silent. "It's been a bit awkward between me and my family."

"I don't care," I said, "Tell them something, it does not matter." I then joked. "Tell them I harass you, they'll believe that."

And that was what she told them. Not good. Not good at all.


	11. Chapter 11 Christmas

_Something strange_

I've always liked Christmas day. It was not the presents. I was a Malfoy. Malfoy's always got what they wanted. Galleons were plentiful. It was my mum. Mother wouldn't stop humming music and father would try keep looking sour, but always failed, ending up slightly drunk and endlessly twirling my mother around the room. Christmas was different from other holidays. There was no Ball. It was just father, mother, Severus and me. Of course, a day later we'd have a fancy dinner with the Parkinson's, Goyle's and Crabbe's and following that there would be a Ball to which every important wizard of magical Britain would come.

Now this Christmas I was at Hogwarts. Normally at Christmas I would sleep in, waking up to my mother singing or trying to get my father on board of some strange spur-of-the-moment thing. Like the time she told him she had cold feet and wanted to go to a hot spring in Iceland. It smelled of bad eggs, but it had a beauty that could not be ignored. Of course, at Hogwarts I had no chance of sleeping in. Greg and Blaise would loudly wake the rest of us up, Vin, Theodore and me. Time for presents, apparently.

From father I got a book on wizarding lineages, which I immediately threw in the corner. Could it be any more boring? Mother send me cookies Dobby had made. I threw those away too. Dobby was the strangest house elf you could imagine. It did not like to serve our family. Dobby was no fan of 'the little Malfoy heir', as it liked to call me. Truth told, I was not that nice either, but father was very clear about his feelings towards house elf. The cookies would probably not be that good, but I will tell mother that the cookies were nice either way. Even if I hated Dobby, the thing probably didn't deserve to bang its head. Snape however got me a book on astronomy. I carefully laid it on my bed. I got candy from most of my dorm mates. Pansy got me a quidditch poster of Krum. Blaise actually got me some hair product. I scoffed, then noticed Vin looking confused at the elegant notebook I got him.

"Not that big of a writer, Vin?" I asked laughingly. He grunted in response. "That girl you have been ogling this year is writing in the same dirty book all year, must get full sometimes, huh? It looks a lot more elegant, plus it automatically gets extra pages when its almost full."

Vin blushed, then quickly looked to the floor. "Thanks, Draco."

"Don't mention it." I quipped happily.

Greg also seemed happy with his present. "Fairy eggs and wood lice, thanks mate!"

I smiled. "Would not want to see my friend bitten again by a bow truckle."

To Blaise I gave a silver-green hair comb and to Theodore a book on potions used in magical medicine. They seemed pleased as well, but to be honest, only Pansy was difficult to buy presents for. Ginny I got some broom polishing kit, so if she'd get on the team next year, she could take good care of her broom. Millicent I got some gobble stones and Daphne I got some jewellery my mother picked out.

When I walked down the stairs, Pansy half tackled me in a hug. Nailed it, I thought. We skipped breakfast together, mostly eating sweets I got, looking at pictures I had put in a photo album as a present for Pansy. The rest of the day we mostly spend in the common room, talking, playing chess and reading together.

That night the feast is exquisite. I tap Vin on his shoulder. "Certain red-head liked the book?"

Vin looked happy, sitting next to that certain red-head, that albeit still a bit pale and nervous, seemed to actually really enjoy herself in a long time. "Loved it, thanks, look at how happy she is." Vin then quickly started talking to Ginny, who seemed almost quite comfortable.

Greg actually succeeded in befriending the bow truckle. He even had given the still slightly aggressive creature a name: Kevin. But according to Greg, Kevin was just a little nervous and really quite sweet when you spend a little more time with the little guy. Really, I was happy for Greg, but animals and me were just an awful combination and felt relieved that he was not sitting next to me. I even was bitten by a duck once. I was six and it hurt. So much for feeding it pieces of bread. Then in anger I turned the duck pink, which I thought was not a very flattering colour for a duck. Still the feast was great. I stuffed myself with sweets. It was great. Then things got weird.

I was back in the common room. In the Daily prophet was some good news: Weaselby's dad was fined for hexing a muggle car to fly. Father would be pleased. Pansy was engaged with Daphne in some sort of girl talk. Greg and Vin were nowhere to be seen. It did not make sense. Ginny was actually in the common room talking with Astoria about some assignment for transfigurations and the slightly aggressive bow truckle seemed to expect me to follow him.

I felt crazy taking orders of Kevin. I then found Greg and Vin near the girls bathroom, regarding the Gryffindor prefect warily. "Greg, Vin, I have been looking all around the grounds for you, are you guys coming?" Kevin seemed less than pleased with Greg being here, and Greg looked a bit warily and confused at the bow truckle in my hand and not keen at al to coo at it as he'd earlier done. Kevin seemed quite sure that we should go to the great hall, not sure if I wanted to get the little guy even angrier I spurred the guys along. "What's up with Kevin, Greg?" Greg mostly looked confused and grunted.

Vin then started asking me about the chamber of secrets and the heir of Slytherin. What is going on? "You know I have no idea who it is. My father could only tell me that it has been opened once before and that a mudblood was killed." I barely got any response. What got into those two? I wanted to say something rude, maybe then they'd be a bit less annoying. "I hope this year it's Granger." Greg actually looked at me like he'd want to attack me for a second and Vin looked merely annoyed. Seriously? No, you are not your father. Or, don't be like that, you actually would not want to see anyone hurt.

I felt a bit annoyed. Great, now I have got an angry bow truckle which is yours, Greg, and your barely helpful or caring about what seemed to be earlier your new best friend. And even worse, you both seemed to have completely forgotten how decent I am. I even thanked Granger.

Still, it got worse. "Well, brother, seems we have found some slimy Slytherins. What should we do about them, George?" Fred easily disarmed me, before I had time to defend me. The bow truckle jumps of my hand and quickly hides in the cupboard.

George looked nastily at me. "Well, dear brother of mine, it seems we might need to teach these extraordinarily nasty three Slytherin students a lesson of not messing with our dear sister."

George then disarms Greg and Vin, who seem to be momentarily stunned.

The twins look at each other, then simply fire some curse, which result in painful pink pimples on our skin. Then look a bit contemplating at each other. "Just don't mess with our sister again, our you'll find those pimples all over your body and not just your face," Fred threatens.

I wince. George face actually softens. The twins then hesitantly walk away. Letting our wands clatter on the ground loudly before disappearing into the hall.

I am going to kill Ginny.

Then the bow truckle reappears and again tries to get me to follow him closer to the great hall. Greg then interrupts. "I uhh have to go.. loo."

Vin looks as uncomfortable as Greg. "Me too." Then both of them run away.

Weird.

Then I follow the bow truckles wishes. It does not want me to go into the great hall, but instead is pointing furiously at a closet that is near the great hall. I open the doors. There lie a sleeping Vin and Greg.

Well if it were Potter, he will not get away with it. I am going to get Severus. Now.


	12. Chapter 12 Tea with Severus

Tea

We were still taking care of those awful mandragora's. At least they were maturing and they'd help cure the attacked students. Severus had immediately cured my face upon lying his eyes upon me. Potter and Weasley still had those awful pink spots on their faces. He was also more than happy to give Potter and the Weasley's detention. Greg and Vin were elevated to two hospital beds, were they woke up the next day. I had not talked to Ginny since I was attacked. Nor had I tried to retaliate. Or was I going to.

I was relieved that after herbology we had a free hour. We had to choose our classes for next year, but my father seemed to want me to beat Potter and Weasley in their classes. However those idiots seemed to sign in to the most useless classes at Hogwarts. No way I was going to sign up for divination and although sharing classes with Greg and Vin was bound to be nice, no way I was going to sign up for care of magical creatures.

When I quickly walked into Severus classroom, he quickly looked if I was alone and then closed the door and conjures two cup of tea. "Draco, I though you would never come by and visit you dear godfather," he said silkily.

I smiled happily at him. "Thanks, for punishing those Gryffindors."

"The pleasure is all mine," he replies smooth. "I trust you have already chosen you electives?"

I bite my lip. "It's father." I feel frustration rushing through me.

"Isn't it always Lucius," Severus then sneers. "What is it now?"

I sip my tea. "He wants me to beat Potter and Weasley, which, of course, is no problem, but he wants me to take the same subjects as those idiots, so I can be better in those. I cannot take divination. It is a laugh. It is ridiculous. Besides I would even be unable to take a decent elective. And I hate care of magical creatures. I will not go near something horrible like a hippogriff or a flubber worm in my life ever again if I have the chance. Besides, those subjects are hardly useful."

Severus smiles warmly at me. He even seems quite proud. "Well, I would not expect your father to understand that sorts of thing. Probably wants to give you some horribly boring job in the ministry. Would not shy away from buying your way in. At least you'd be well-paid, but hardly anything interesting." He looks just as frustrated as me. "Well, we could not waste talent on something as utterly humiliating as divination, now can we? I'll talk to your father. I'll imply how much you are already better by just not having chosen subjects like those."

I feel relieved.

"So arithmancy and study of ancient runes will be your electives for next year," Severus concludes. I hesitate. "Well, speak up, what is it, Draco?"

Sometimes it is like Severus can see through me, at least he and mother seem to know me, my father just projects who he expects me to be onto me. Hardly fair.

"Granger will probably take the same electives," I reply rejected. "It will never be good enough for father, will it?"

"I'll talk to him," Severus replies. He does not deny my words. "Never forget how proud your mother and I are of you, Draco. I think you are doing very well at Hogwarts. I could not care less about that insufferable know-it-all."

He looks intently at me, as if daring me not to say what else is on my mind.

"I wish to take muggle studies."

Severus does not smile in reply, nor angry or disappointed. "Why?" His face seemed devoid of emotion.

I feel myself turning red. "I like being informed. You know that. All I have been told about muggles is that they are disgusting and below us. That is hardly and informed view. I'd like to decide for myself what I think of muggles and muggleborns. Granger, as much as I'd loathe to admit it and as insufferable as she is, is an incredibly talented muggleborn witch. Her manners are a lot better than many purebloods, though she might not be aware of certain customs. A far cry from what my father always told about mudbloods.

Severus looks contemplating at me. "This better stay between us, Draco." He warns. "Muggle studies at Hogwarts is hardly informative. It is given by a pureblood witch, she has a poor understanding of everything muggle. I'll inform you myself. I grew up in the muggle world." He what? I feel quite shocked. How could I not know something as big as how he grew up around muggles about him? But maybe, I did not know so many personal things about him. Severus was after all a very guarded man. "It would be nice spending more time with my godson. Go with you to muggle London. I had never thought that you would grow up into such a respectful, wisdom-seeking and thoughtful young boy. You definitely did not get that from your father."


	13. Chapter 13 Hermione

_Hermione_

It had felt like a good day. The weather was good and I was actually quite excited to watch quidditch. It was Hufflepuff against Gryffindor. Then it got cancelled.

We were no longer allowed to roam freely through the castle. We were to remain in our common rooms from six pm on. We were to be always escorted by teachers from and to our classes. And lastly, if there were another attack, the school would be closed.

Soon it had spread that Hermione and the Ravenclaw prefect were attacked. I felt awful. My stomach churned uncomfortably every time I heard myself repeat it in my mind. ".. a mudblood was killed. I hope it's Granger this year." Why can't words be taken back?

The common room was eerily silent.

Ginny silently was scribbling in a book in a corner of the common room, looking pale and incredibly nervous. Greg was feeding the bow truckle and Vin was glancing at Ginny every few moments in concern. Pansy, albeit shocked, was playing chess with Theodore. Blaise was doing his hair. Millicent was cuddling her three cats to her chest.

I received a letter from my father. I felt a horrible sense of doom. The groundskeeper was to be sent to Azkaban. , Even worse, he is going to kick Dumbledore out of the school. Would the school really be any saver without Dumbledore? There would be a dead student before the end of the school year. I felt sick.

I needed to do something else. I needed something to keep my mind of things. I started drawing what I expected the sky would look like tonight. I drew the stars and the constellations after which my mothers family named their children. Orion I drew bright. I drew them all and the planets as well. This was good, don't think about how you wished Hermione harm and how she is now in her petrified state. Besides the mandragora's are maturing, she will be conscious soon enough and she'd probably still get better grades in her exams, while having missed plenty of classes. Besides it is not like she's dead. _Like you wished her to be_ , a tiny voice in my mind accused me.

So from that moment on, we were accompanied from and to all our classes by teachers. It was eerily calm, nothing much happened.

Then professor McGonagall announces that exams take place in a week. Well, at least I had a decent shot of being the best in exams this year, might as well take a shot. I started studying with vigour. Somewhere I hoped Granger would still find a way to beat me, even in her petrified state.

Three days before the first exam, professor McGonagall announced that the mandragora's were ready to be cut and used to restore the petrified students. I start clapping, like the majority of the students. I feel something heavy being lifted from my chest. Hermione. I barely even know her. Still. I felt awful. My stomach churned uncomfortably every time I heard myself repeat it in my mind. ".. a mudblood was killed. I hope it's Granger this year." Why can't these words leave me alone? No matter how much I draw or study or talk with Pansy or play chess with Theodore.

I need to visit her and no one can know. Only Vin, he will understand. It was after Defense that I saw my chance. Well, actually it was Potter. Lockhart was complaining about the extreme cautions that were taken and Potter started to fully agree with him, kindly suggesting him to let us walk to our next class alone. I grabbed Vince arm, who looked at me questioningly. Seeing that Potter and Weasley were taking off towards the other side of the castle: not to Hermione, I took my chance.

I looked at Vin. "I did not want her to be petrified, you know." I felt stupid for growing upset. "Sometimes you just say stupid things."

Vin smiled at me. "Draco, you are not the heir, why do you act as if it's your fault?"

"I said horrible things," I snapped.

Vin still looks kindly at me. "Who cares? So many people say horrible things."

I look at Hermione. She looks pale. I take her hand. It's cold. She seems to be holding some piece of paper. Curiously, I take it from her. I still feel it is at least partly my fault. Then I hear footsteps coming closer. I look in panic at Vin and softly whisper hide towards him.

Then Potter and Weasley are escorted into the hospital by professor McGonagall. Me and Vin hide behind some curtains, where I fold the piece of paper open. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant that girl. Even ripped a page out of a book, that is actually quite though for a know-it-all. Of course she got petrified because she found out what hided in the chamber of secrets. I feel frozen, just thinking.

I look at Vin. He seems just as shocked. We should show professor Snape. Vin and me sneak away. Vin follows me silently. We go to the teacher's room, but then all teachers seem to accumulate and we end up hiding in the closet, listening in on the professors. There was another attack. It was Ginny. Written on the wall was that her body would lay in the chamber for eternity. I felt sick.

Tomorrow the school would be closed. Tomorrow we'd be sent home. This could not be happening. I looked at Vin, both thinking the same, we would save Ginny ourselves. Slytherins have each others backs, right?

Then Lockhart started boasting he'd save her. I felt furious. He could not even fight corned pixies. How dare he say he would just save her as if her life is a joke? The teachers then conclude that he will take care of saving Ginny, since he seems to know all that is needed to save her. I feel terrible. How could the teachers give Lockhart the responsibility of Ginny's life?

McGonagall then announces she will collect Ron Weasley from the hospital. Professor Snape decides to contact the Weasleys at the Burrow and Professor Sprout will retrieve the Weasleys from the common room, then accompany Potter back to the common room.

I look at Vin. "Potter is our best Chance," I whisper nervously, "he might know more."

When the corridor is empty, we move as quickly and silently as we can. When we walk into the hospital room, Potter looks shocked at us. Weasley seems to already be collected by McGonagall.

I stun Potter, together with Vince I drag him into Myrtle's bathroom. The place where I would never expect the teachers to look for Potter and closest to the hospital.

I hesitate. Come on, no time to lose. "Potter, we need to save Ginny. I am not the heir. I cannot petrify students. I am only fourteen. Besides I do not wish death or petrification on anyone. If you know more, I.. Tell us. Ginny is our friend. We care. The teachers have given stupid Lockhart the responsibility of looking for Ginny. We have to do something." I try to breath slow and deep. Good. Calm down. "We know there is a basilisk that roams Hogwarts. A snake. You are a parselmouth. You need to be able to find the chamber, no one else could, but you are a parselmouth. It needs to mean something."

I then looked expectantly at him. "You stunned him," Vin reminds me. I blush. That was kind of dumb. I breath in deeply. Please don't scream, Potter. Help Ginny.

I unlift my stunning spell.


	14. Chapter 14 Myrtle

_Myrtle_

Potter immediately dashes further into the bathroom. For a moment I think this is a very bad attempt at fleeing. "Myrtle," he urgently says. "How did you die?" I feel blood drain from my face. Oh no. She is going to scream and cry and all the teachers will come. What does Potter think he is doing? I defensively hold my wand, but no spells come to my mind to shut Myrtle up, but miracle above miracle she stays silent. She even seems flattered. Not just flattered, like incredibly flattered.

 **'** Ooooh, it was dreadful,' she said with relish. 'It happened right in here. I died in this very cubicle. I remember it so well. I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. The door was locked, and I was crying, and then I heard somebody come in. They said something funny. A different language, I think it must have been. Anyway, what really got me was that it was a boy speaking. So I unlocked the door, to tell him to go and use his own toilet, and then –' Myrtle swelled importantly, her face shining, 'I died.'

'How?' said Harry.

'No idea,' said Myrtle in hushed tones. 'I just remember seeing a pair of great big yellow eyes. My whole body sort of seized up, and then I was floating away ...' She looked dreamily at Harry. 'And then I came back again. I was determined to haunt Olive Hornby, you see. Oh, she was sorry she'd ever laughed at my glasses.'

'Where exactly did you see the eyes?' said Harry.

'Somewhere there,' said Myrtle, pointing vaguely towards the sink in front of her toilet.

It dawned on me. The girl who died fifty years ago, when the chamber of secrets first was opened, still lived at Hogwarts. Myrtle died looking at the basilisk. I glanced at the sink, Potter was already studying it. It looked ordinary, but Potter was curiously studying one of the taps.

'That tap's never worked,' said Myrtle brightly, as he tried to turn it.

I came closer. Looked at the tap. "It's got a snake," I realised.

Potter gave me an incredulous look. "I normally do not have any interest in taps, for your information," Potter quipped. I snorted.

Vin then spoke up. "Well, talk parseltongue to it. Ask it to open."

"But-" Potter spoke. He was staring intently at the snake. "Open up."

He looked disappointed.

"You spoke english," I say. "What's wrong?"

Potter looks at me frustrated. "I have only ever been able to speak parseltongue when I was faced with a real snake." That makes sense.

"Well, fortunately, I am excellent in conjuring snakes," I try to joke, to ease the tension. "Serpensortia."

Potter looks at the snake in panic. A strange hissing comes from Potter. The snake looks just as angry as the first time, but now its anger is also directed towards me. I don't like magical creatures.

Th snake then calms down.

Potter turns. "You idiot, what if it would have attacked us?"

Good point. I shrug. "Sorry."

"So ask it to open," Vin then says.

A strange hissing escapes Potter's mouth, and at once the tap glowed with a brilliant white light and began to spin. Next second, the sink began to move. The sink, in fact, sank, right out of sight, leaving a large pipe exposed, a pipe wide enough for a man to slide into.

I feel the childish urge to tell Potter to go first. I am scared. Come on, Malfoy's may not be Gryffindors, but I am no coward. "I'll go first," I tell them, sounding braver than I felt at the moment.

Potter looks surprised, but nods.

I step forward. "Don't jump till I have told it's save."

I look down into the large pipe. Come on, I probably won't die. I jump. My heart beats fast. I slide down and am now in a room with a giant snake skin. I stare at the snake skin, under the dust is a poisonous green skin as thick as an oak trunk. Of course Granger couldn't be wrong for just this time and the monster could not be puffskein. That must be one of the rare magical creatures I do like, next to owls. Why could it have not been round with soft custard-colored fur and a ridiculously long tongue that the creature might put in your nose in your sleep?

"It's fine," I then yell. A few seconds later Vin and Potter join me. Together we guardedly walk through the tunnel, till we come upon a wall with engraved snakes. I look at Potter hesitantly. For a few seconds I hope that nothing happens, but Potter starts hissing and the wall opens.

We nervously glance at each other. We enter.


	15. Chapter 15 Meeting Tom Riddle

The chamber is dimly lit. At the back of the chamber is a huge statue of Salazar Slytherin. There is a path to the statue, lined with columns in the shape of snakes. At the base of the statue is a small-looking, black robed figure with flaming red hair.

"Ginny," gasps Vin, then he starts running towards her body. Potter immediately follows and with a sinking feeling I start jogging towards them. Vin is kneeling down on the ground, awkwardly hugging her limp body. "Please Ginny, wake up. Please, please, be alright." Vin starts crying. Potter looks really pale. If feel stupid. We definitely should have gone to professor Snape.

I start tugging on Vin's shoulder. "We should go," I say, feeling more and more in panic every second. "We need to go. We need help. We need Severus."

Vin still holds Ginny. "I am not leaving her here."

Potter then kneels next to Vin, gently grabbing hold of Ginny's face. "Ginny, please wake up."

"She won't wake," said a soft voice.

I quickly turn around. A tall, black-haired boy was leaning against the nearest pillar, watching. He was strangely blurred around the edges, as though I was looking at him through a misted window.

"Tom—Tom Riddle?" Potter then asked sounding shocked. Riddle nodded, not taking his eyes off Potter's face. "What d'you mean, she won't wake?" Harry said desperately. "She's not—she's not—?"

"She's still alive," said Riddle. "But only just."

"Are you a ghost?" Harry said uncertainly.

"A memory," said Riddle quietly. "Preserved in a diary for fifty years."

Riddle points at the black diary I had seen Ginny write in so many times before. I feel confused. How does Potter know this Tom? How did Ginny get his diary? Why was her diary familiar, like I had seen it somewhere before I saw it in Ginny's hands at Hogwarts?

"You've got to go with us, Tom," Potter said, raising Ginny's head again. "We've got to get her out of here. And you as well. There's a basilisk... I don't know where it is, but it could be along any moment... Please, go with us. Help us save Ginny—"

Riddle didn't move. Potter desperately wants to hoist Ginny out of Vin's arms, who seemed in shock and not very keen to let her out of his arms any time soon, neither did he seem very keen on moving. Sweating, Potter turns around looking for his wand. But his wand had gone. "Did you see—?"

Riddle was still watching Potter—twirling Potter's wand between his long fingers. "Thanks," said Potter, stretching out his hand for it. Riddle seemed strangely fascinated by Potter.

A smile curled the corners of Riddle's mouth. He continued to stare at Potter, twirling the wand idly. I feel like I can only watch what is going on, like I can't move, like somehow I have been petrified, but I am not.

"Listen," said Potter urgently. "We've got to go! If the basilisk comes—"

"It won't come until it is called," said Riddle calmly.

"What d'you mean?" he said. "Look, give me my wand, I might need it—"

Riddle's smile broadened. "You won't be needing it," he said.

Potter stared at him. "What d'you mean, I won't be—?"

"I've waited a long time for this, Harry Potter," said Riddle. "For the chance to see you. To speak to you."

"Look," said Potter, losing patience, "I don't think you get it. We're in the Chamber of Secrets. We can talk later—"

"We're going to talk now," said Riddle, still smiling broadly, and he pocketed Potter's wand.

I got a stronger and stronger feeling that Tom Riddle was not going to help us.

"How did Ginny get like this?" Potter asked slowly.

"Well, that's an interesting question," said Riddle pleasantly. "And quite a long story. I suppose the real reason Ginny Weasley's like this is because she opened her heart and spilled all her secrets to an invisible stranger."

"What are you talking about?" said Potter

"The diary," said Riddle. "My diary. Little Ginny's been writing in it for months and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes—how her brothers tease her, how she had to come to school with secondhand robes and books, how"—Riddle's eyes glinted—"how she didn't think famous, good, great Harry Potter would ever like her..." All the time he spoke, Riddle's eyes never left Potter's face. There was an almost hungry look in them. "It's very boring, having to listen to the silly little troubles of an eleven-year-old girl," he went on. "But I was patient. I wrote back. I was sympathetic, I was kind. Ginny simply loved me. No one's ever understood me like you, Tom... I'm so glad I've got this diary to confide in... It's like having a friend I can carry around in my pocket..." Riddle laughed, a high, cold laugh.

I felt sick. I felt disgusted by Riddle.

"If I say it myself, Harry, I've always been able to charm the people I needed. So Ginny poured out her soul to me, and her soul happened to be exactly what I wanted... I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew powerful, far more powerful than little Miss Weasley. Powerful enough to start feeding Miss Weasley a few of my secrets, to start pouring a little of my soul back into her..."

"What d'you mean?" said Potter whose mouth had gone very dry.

"Haven't you guessed yet, Harry Potter?" said Riddle softly. "Ginny Weasley opened the Chamber of Secrets. She strangled the school roosters and daubed threatening messages on the walls. She set the serpent of Slytherin on four Mudbloods, and the Squib's cat."

"No," Potter whispered. I felt horrible. She tried to tell me, I was sure. And then she'd tell she was just anxious about doing well at Hogwarts, or worried about all those attacks or that she was just having some trouble with her brothers. How many times did Vin not come to me, worried about Ginny.

"Yes," said Riddle calmly. "Of course, she didn't know what she was doing at first. It was very amusing. I wish you could have seen her new diary entries... far more interesting, they became... Dear Tom," he recited, watching Harry's horrified face, "I think I'm losing my memory. There are rooster feathers all over my robes and I don't know how they got there. Dear Tom, I can't remember what I did on the night of Halloween, but a cat was attacked and I've got paint all down my front. Dear Tom, Percy keeps telling me I'm pale and I'm not myself. I think he suspects me... There was another attack today and I don't know where I was. Tom, what am I going to do? I think I'm going mad... I think I'm the one attacking everyone, Tom!"

I want to hit him. I feel angry. Still, somehow, I feel captivated in a horrifying way, not feeling like I was able to move or talk, only listening. Vin, however seems to have found his voice. "You basterd," he looks so revulsed, "Ginny's wonderfull and your.. How can you just laugh." He seems ready to lunge at Riddle. Riddle looks utterly bored by Vin. I understand it then, he wants Potter. It makes sense. Strange things always happen to Potter.

Riddle flicks Potter's wand at Vin, who freezes up.

"It took a very long time for stupid little Ginny to stop trusting her diary," said Riddle. "But she finally became suspicious and tried to dispose of it. And that's where you came in, Potter. You found it, and I couldn't have been more delighted. Of all the people who could have picked it up, it was you, the very person I was most anxious to meet..."

"And why did you want to meet me?" said Potter.

"Well, you see, Ginny told me all about you, Harry," said Riddle. "Your whole fascinating history." His eyes roved over the lightning scar on Potter's forehead, and their expression grew hungrier. "I knew I must find out more about you, talk to you, meet you if I could. So I decided to show you my famous capture of that great oaf, Hagrid, to gain your trust—"

"Hagrid's my friend," said Potter, his voice now shaking. "And you framed him, didn't you? I thought you made a mistake, but —"

Riddle laughed his high laugh again.

"It was my word against Hagrid's, Harry. Well, you can imagine how it looked to old Armando Dippet. On the one hand, Tom Riddle, poor but brilliant, parentless but so brave, school prefect, model student... on the other hand, big, blundering Hagrid, in trouble every other week, trying to raise werewolf cubs under his bed, sneaking off to the Forbidden Forest to wrestle trolls... but I admit, even I was surprised how well the plan worked. I thought someone must realize that Hagrid couldn't possibly be the Heir of Slytherin. It had taken me five whole years to find out everything I could about the Chamber of Secrets and discover the secret entrance... as though Hagrid had the brains, or the power!

"Only the Transfiguration teacher, Dumbledore, seemed to think Hagrid was innocent. He persuaded Dippet to keep Hagrid and train him as gamekeeper. Yes, I think Dumbledore might have guessed... Dumbledore never seemed to like me as much as the other teachers did..."

"I bet Dumbledore saw right through you," said Potter, his teeth gritted.

"Well, he certainly kept an annoyingly close watch on me after Hagrid was expelled," said Riddle carelessly. "I knew it wouldn't be safe to open the Chamber again while I was still at school. But I wasn't going to waste those long years I'd spent searching for it. I decided to leave behind a diary, preserving my sixteen-year-old self in its pages, so that one day, with luck, I would be able to lead another in my footsteps, and finish Salazar Slytherin's noble work."

"Well, you haven't finished it," said Potter triumphantly. "No one's died this time, not even the cat. In a few hours the Mandrake Draught will be ready and everyone who was Petrified will be all right again—"

"Haven't I already told you," said Riddle quietly, "that killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore? For many months now, my new target has been—you."

Maybe I should just flee with Vin. I have the chance now. Riddle is so fascinated by Potter, but I stay put.

"Imagine how angry I was when the next time my diary was opened, it was Ginny who was writing to me, not you. She saw you with the diary, you see, and panicked. What if you found out how to work it, and I repeated all her secrets to you? What if, even worse, I told you who'd been strangling roosters? So the foolish little brat asked one of her Slytherin friends to help sneak into your dormitory and steal it back. But I knew what I must do. It was clear to me that you were on the trail of Slytherin's heir. From everything Ginny had told me about you, I knew you would go to any lengths to solve the mystery—particularly if one of your best friends was attacked. And Ginny had told me the whole school was buzzing because you could speak Parseltongue...

"So I made Ginny write her own farewell on the wall and come down here to wait. She struggled and cried and became very boring. But there isn't much life left in her... She put too much into the diary, into me. Enough to let me leave its pages at last... I have been waiting for you to appear since we arrived here. I knew you'd come. I have many questions for you, Harry Potter."

"Like what?" Potter spat, fists still clenched.

"Well," said Riddle, smiling pleasantly, "how is it that you—a skinny boy with no extraordinary magical talent—managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did you escape with nothing but a scar, while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?" There was an odd red gleam in his hungry eyes now.

"Why do you care how I escaped?" said Harry slowly. "Voldemort was after your time..."

"Voldemort," said Riddle softly, "is my past, present, and future, Harry Potter..." He pulled Potter's wand from his pocket and began to trace it through the air, writing three shimmering words:

TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE

Then he waved the wand once, and the letters of his name rearranged themselves:

I AM LORD VOLDEMORT

"You see?" he whispered. "It was a name I was already using at Hogwarts, to my most intimate friends only, of course. You think I was going to use my filthy Muggle father's name forever? I, in whose veins runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself, through my mother's side? I, keep the name of a foul, common Muggle, who abandoned me even before I was born, just because he found out his wife was a witch? No, Harry — I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak, when I had become the greatest sorcerer in the world!"

I felt shocked. Voldemort was a mudblood?

"You're not," Potter said, his quiet voice full of hatred.

"Not what?" snapped Riddle.

"Not the greatest sorcerer in the world," said Potter, breathing fast. "Sorry to disappoint you and all that, but the greatest wizard in the world is Albus Dumbledore. Everyone says so. Even when you were strong, you didn't dare try and take over at Hogwarts. Dumbledore saw through you when you were at school and he still frightens you now, wherever you're hiding these days—"

The smile had gone from Riddle's face, to be replaced by a very ugly look.

"Dumbledore's been driven out of this castle by the mere memory of me!" he hissed.

"He's not as gone as you might think!" Potter retorted.

Potter most definitely has a death wish. He must have. I could not believe it. Telling Voldemort professor Dumbledore was the greatest sorcerer of our time. I could definitely see why he was in Gryffindor. I felt my fingers getting a tighter grip on my wand, bringing myself ready for something, fight or flee, I did not know.


	16. Chapter 16 Fight or flee

Fawkes

I must be going crazy, but I was sure I heard music. Music was coming from somewhere. Riddle whirled around to stare down the empty Chamber. The music was growing louder. It was eerie, spine-tingling, unearthly; it lifted the hair on my scalp and made my heart feel as though it was swelling to twice its normal size. Then, as the music reached such a pitch that I felt it vibrating inside my own ribs, flames erupted at the top of the nearest pillar.

A crimson bird the size of a swan had appeared, piping its weird music to the vaulted ceiling. It had a glittering golden tail as long as a peacock's and gleaming golden talons, which were gripping a ragged bundle.

A second later, the bird was flying straight at Potter. It dropped the ragged thing it was carrying at his feet, then landed heavily on his shoulder. As it folded its great wings, Potter looked up and saw it had a long, sharp golden beak and a beady black eye.

The bird stopped singing. It sat still and warm next to Harry's cheek, gazing steadily at Riddle.

"That's a phoenix. . . ." said Riddle, staring shrewdly back at it.

" _Fawkes_?" Potter breathed, and he felt the bird's golden claws squeeze his shoulder gently.

"And _that_ —" said Riddle, now eyeing the ragged thing that Fawkes had dropped, "that's the old school Sorting Hat—"

So it was. Patched, frayed, and dirty, the hat lay motionless at Potter's feet.

Riddle began to laugh again. He laughed so hard that the dark Chamber rang with it, as though ten Riddles were laughing at once— "This is what Dumbledore sends his defender! A songbird and an old hat! Do you feel brave, Harry Potter? Do you feel safe now?"

Potter didn't answer.

"To business, Harry," said Riddle, still smiling broadly. "Twice—in your past, in my future—we have met. And twice I failed to kill you. How did you survive? Tell me everything. The longer you talk," he added softly, "the longer you stay alive."

With the phoenix nearby I finally felt like I could take control of my own body again. It was clear I could no longer stand by and watch. Riddle stood with his back to me and Vin and Ginny. The odds did not seem very good. At least at this point I had the advantage of not being watched. I felt sure Riddle had forgotten me and Vin were in the room And we had the sorting hat. Maybe I could disarm him. He might be Voldemort, but he was still a school boy - who was weak. Then I'd countercharm Vin and with Potter we should be able to get Ginny away and keep Riddle here.

At least it felt like a plan. Besides I needed to act, Riddle told us himself, Ginny was growing weaker.

I raised my wand. "Expelliarmus," I yelled. Riddle looked shocked. He looked enraged. But then Riddle's twisted smile was widening again. I freed Vin out of his frozen state, who immediately stood up, sweating, while gently letting Ginny lay on the ground. Potter looked tensely to Riddle. His smile was unnerving. I walked towards Potter, grabbed the hat at his feet and then pushed his wand in his hands. All three had our wands trained at him, but he seemed far from worried.

"Now, Harry, I'm going to teach you a little lesson. Let's match the powers of Lord Voldemort, Heir of Salazar Slytherin, against famous Harry Potter, and the best weapons Dumbledore can give him... And of course, we'll see how you friends fare."

He cast an amused eye over Fawkes and the Sorting Hat, then looked at me and Vin, then walked away. I was definitely scared, I watched Riddle stop between the high pillars and look up into the stone face of Slytherin, high above him in the half-darkness. Riddle opened his mouth wide and hissed _._

I shuddered. Potter wheeled around to look up at the statue, Fawkes swaying on his shoulder. I followed his gaze. Slytherin's gigantic stone face was moving. Horrorstruck, I saw his mouth opening, wider and wider, to make a huge black hole.

And something was stirring inside the statue's mouth. Something was slithering up from its depths.

We backed away until we hit the dark Chamber wall. "Don't look," Vin said urgently.

Great. Good. I mean, of course. We'd be dead if we looked the basilisk in the eye, but would we not be just as dead standing here backed against the wall with our eyes shut?

Something huge hit the stone floor of the Chamber. I felt it shudder—I knew what was happening, I could feel it, could almost see the giant serpent uncoiling itself from Slytherin's mouth. Then I heard Riddle's hissing voice again.

I feel as panicked as Potter sounds. "We have to run, don't look, try to go the other way: it wants me." We began to run, at least I think we did, I could not be sure about the other two since I had my eyes closed. I ran blindly, hands outstretched, feeling my way. Behind we heard its body slithering.

Someone tripped. Voldemort was laughing. I kept running, just till my heart stopped throbbing so painful. I should go back. But then I'd die. It must have been Potter that tripped, since the basilisk seemed to have stopped following us.

There was a loud, explosive spitting sound. It was too late. Potter must be dead. I should just flee, but I could not move. I opened my eyes and saw Vin standing next to me. We both had opened our eyes. What now, did Vin's eyes seem to ask. I harshly breathed in, trying to remember the phoenix song and jammed the sorting hat on, running back into the chamber.


	17. Chapter 17 Sword of Gryffindor

_The sword of Gryffindor_

I felt stupid putting the old rusty sorting hat on. "Please, help me. Teach me how to conjure a rooster. Or something. I don't care. Please, just do something."

The old sorting hat chuckled. "So we meet again. Impressive as you've grown, young Draco. How very brave of you not to run. How very brave indeed.. I fear conjuring a rooster would take too many tries. But I might have something else that could help you." I felt something hard hit the back of my hat and I almost fell to the ground. I grabbed inside the hat, felt something and took it out. In my hands was now a glooming silver sword with rubies the size of edges.

I looked admiringly at it and Vin looked impressed. We ran to the chamber. " _NO!_ " We heard Riddle screaming. " _LEAVE THE BIRD! LEAVE THE BIRD! THE BOY IS BEHIND YOU! YOU CAN STILL SMELL HIM! KILL HIM!_ " I felt a surge of energy. My heart leaped. Hope. Potter was fine for now. The bird must have saved him. I started running faster.

The enormous serpent, bright, poisonous green, thick as an oak trunk, had raised itself high in the air and its great blunt head was weaving drunkenly between the pillars. Fawkes was soaring around its head, and the basilisk was snapping furiously at him with fangs long and thin as sabers— Fawkes dived. His long golden beak sank out of sight and a sudden shower of dark blood spattered the floor. The snake's tail thrashed, narrowly missing Potter. I looked straight to the snakes face, forgetting the deadly stare and then instead of dying I looked straight into its face and saw that its eyes, both its great, bulbous yellow eyes, had been punctured by the phoenix; blood was streaming to the floor, and the snake was spitting in agony. "KILL THE BOY! LEAVE THE BIRD! THE BOY IS BEHIND YOU! SNIFF—SMELL HIM!"

I look at Vin, thinking fast. "Take care of Ginny, try to see if you can destroy the diary." I start running towards Potter, who stand up, looking shocked at me. We dodge the snake that lunged blindly. Potter starts climbing the wall, which has an intricate pattern of snakes. He lends me hand. I take it. Climbing with the sword is difficult. Between the deep ridges in the walls we might be more safe. Not bad, Potter.

"Look out," Potter screams. The snake is done swaying and is lunging at us. For a moment I want to hide as deep into the ridge as possible, then I extend my arm, closing my eyes in fear.

I threw my whole weight behind the sword and drove it to the hilt into the roof of the serpent's mouth—But as warm blood drenched my arms, I felt a searing pain just above my elbow. One long, poisonous fang was sinking deeper and deeper into my arm and it splintered as the basilisk keeled over sideways and fell, twitching, to the floor.

I feel myself losing grip on the wall. My vision is getting blurry. I start sliding down the wall, but Potter grabs me. He gripped the fang that was spreading poison through my body and wrenched it out of my arm. White-hot pain was spreading slowly and steadily from the wound. Potter looked angrily at the fang and threw it as far away as he could. It hit the mouth of Salazar Slytherin and then fell down.

A patch of scarlet swam past, and I heard a soft clatter of claws beside me.

"Fawkes," said Potter thickly. "You were fantastic, Fawkes..." I felt the bird step unto my shoulders and lay its beautiful head on the spot where the serpent's fang had pierced me.

I could hear echoing footsteps and then a dark shadow moved in front of us.

"You're friend is dead, Harry Potter," said Riddle's voice below us. "Dead. Even Dumbledore's bird knows it. Do you see what he's doing, Potter? He's crying."

Then with a loud sound the fang clattered to the ground. My vision was getting better. Vin stood there, the diary in his hand, slightly sweating. He took the fang and pushed it into the diary.


	18. Chapter 18 The diary

_Quite the year_

A lot of things were then happening. I realised I was not dying and Fawkes was not crying about me dying: its tears were healing me. Ink streams out of the diary. Riddle screams and starts disappearing and Ginny at the other side of the room begins to stir and wakes up.

Vin reaches her first. Ginny looks incredibly upset. She's crying. "Vin, I'm so sorry. I did not mean to do it. I tried to fight him. I did not want to do all those horrible things. And now I am going to be expelled from Hogwarts and everyone will be disappointed and will hate me." She hiccuped. Vin gently hugged her. He looked uncomfortable. "You must all hate me too. And I feel so stupid. I really wanted do well, being my first year at Hogwarts and all, make my parents proud and now.."

I then gently take her from Vin's arms. Giving her a hug as well. I try to muster as much confidence in my voice as I can. "You won't be expelled. You just made a mistake. Like you said, you tried to fight, Tom." It seems to calm her down a bit, so I continue. "Nothings wrong with keeping a diary. The rest is not your fault. You should have never had that book in your possession and a lot older and wiser wizards have been tricked by Voldemort." I loosely hold her in my arms and not much is said.

"I am glad you are alright, Ginny," Potter adds. "We should go back. Everyone will be worried."

We walk back to the pipe, where Fawkes flies us up into the bathroom. Myrtle looked astonished when we came out and floated toward Potter. "You came out alive. You know, if you died we could have shared a toilet together," she murmured, looking a bit upset at the prospect of Potter being alive. I snorted, but luckily she did not seem to notice, or ignored me.

"Wait," Potter then interrupts, "Where are we heading?"

I look at him, like it should have been obvious. "Professor Snape's office, Potter," I reply.

Potter looks highly uncomfortable. "Can't we go to Professor McGonagall? Snape hates me."

I feel annoyed. I know Severus can be incredibly unfair, but he was my godfather and my head of house. Yes, we definitely had to go to professor Snape. "Potter, we just fought a basilisk. Don't tell me you are afraid of professor Snape," I say chiding.

He snorts, then copying my chiding voice. "Draco, we just fought a basilisk together. I think you can call me Harry now."

We then arrive covered in grime at Professor Snape's office. Before I open the door I catch Ginny's eye and give her a small smile. Severus seems to have conjured up a few extra chairs. Mr and Mrs Weasley throw their arms around Ginny. I then felt my mother wrap her arms around me. I looked at Potter, who stood in the doorway looking slightly disheartened. He caught my eyes and looked away. Vin walked up to the table, where he put down the diary and the basilisk tooth.

Mother then stepped back, letting go of me, her worried eyes not leaving me yet. With a quick spell she cleans my clothes. Afterwards, she repeats the spells on the others. I walked up to the table as well and then put down the sword I was still carrying. Then Harry as last put down the sorting hat and gave Fawkes back to Dumbledore.

I've never seen so many people in Severus office. He must have conjured up some chairs. Ginny's brothers and parents are here, as well as my and Vin's parents.

Then Potter- or no Harry, started explaining what had happened. How I had stunned him, before I had kidnapped him into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. How I told him the monster was a basilisk. How we found the chamber of secrets. He explained about the diary, about Tom Riddle, about Voldemort, Fawkes and the basilisk.

Ginny confessed writing in the diary all year. Mr. Weasley asks her, "Haven't I taught you _anything_? What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself _if you can't see where it keeps its brain_ "

Everyone was silent, when Harry was done talking. Severus then looked annoyed at me. "Mister Malfoy, please tell me what possessed you into thinking that you were able to battle a basilisk along with two students?"

I immediately felt embarrassed. "I.. I, well.."

Severus was not done. "Did you think that perhaps that three students were more adequate to deal with a basilisk and the heir of Slytherin than a teacher?"

I felt anger flaring up. "Yes," I blurted out, "How could you give Lockhart the responsibility of trying to save Ginny's life. He is an idiot. He probably can't even tie his own shoe."

Severus only looked more annoyed. "Do you think I cannot estimate exactly how incapable Lockhart is? Do you think he holds an ounce of my respect, mister Malfoy?"

Now I feel stupid again. "No, sir."

Then Dumbledore interrupts. "Severus, I think that is enough. Let us just be thankful that these three brave students have made it out as well as they did and have succeeded in saving miss Weasley. They have proven a great service to the school."

Severus looks sourly at Dumbledore. "At least, mister Malfoy, you have been able to recognise how utterly useless Lockhart is after following his lessons for this past school year," He pauses, then looks at Ron, Fred and George, "apparently some are so thick-headed that they have failed to take notice." Ginny's mother looks furiously at her sons. Well, that definitely was a story I'd like to hear.

Then Dumbledore interrupts again. "Please Severus, this is most unnecessary. Our misters Weasley merely tried to aid professor Lockhart by informing him of some suspicions they had and were of course disgusted by the image of seeing him pack his suitcase to leave. The accident in which he used Ron's broken wand and lost his own memory is rather unfortunate."

Severus looks incredulous at Dumbledore. "At least something good came out of it." I couldn't help but agree with Severus.

Dumbledore then continues as if Severus had said nothing. "What I would like to know is the parts of the story that mister Potter could not supply. Mister Malfoy maybe you could enlighten us to the missing pieces of the story."

His blue eyes are twinkling and looking straight at me. "Of course, Professor," I say politely. I then tell him about visiting Hermione and finding out the monster was a basilisk. Trying to inform the teachers and then overhearing the teachers. I tell him about disarming Riddle and about the sword I pulled out of the old sorting hat.

Then Dumbledore sends Ginny off to the hospital, the Weasleys all go with her. Vin's parents stand up, pat Vin on the back and leave. Potter, Vince, my parents, professor Snape and Dumbledore are still in the room.

Dumbledore is looking very amused. "Well mister Malfoy, it would seem you have some strong Gryffindor traits. After all, Godric Gryffindor would not let just anyone pull his sword into battle."

My father, who till now had stood with a sour look in a corner of Severus office, seethingly says, "My son does not have any Gryffindor traits. And I demand to know why you have come back to Hogwarts."

Dumbledore seems very calm. "The other eleven governors contacted me today. They seemed to think I was the best man for the job after all. Very strange tales they told me, too…Several of them seemed to think that you had threatened to curse their families if they didn't agree to suspend me in the first place" I stared very hard at my shoes. My mother was soothingly going with her hands through my hairs. At least the Weasleys did not see this. "We are very lucky that your son, Harry and Vince have found this diary," Dumbledore adds, holding it up. "Else, dear miss Weasley might have taken all the blame herself. Imagine the effect on Arthur Weasley and his Muggle Protection Act, if his own daughter was discovered attacking and killing Muggle-borns." Looking at Dobby signalling at Harry I then realise what must have happened at Flourish and Blotts at the beginning at the year. The diary was familiar because I had seen it before. And not just someplace, at the manor. My father was the culprit.

Father then angrily storms away. Harry shoots me a wary, apologising look, then turns to professor Dumbledore. "May I give Malfoy senior the diary back?" Professor Dumbledore nods and Harry quickly runs after my father.

Then Dumbledore kindly looks at me. "Mister Malfoy, if I may ask, might there be anything bothering you?"

A lot of things shot through my head. Mostly my father. How he'd paid my way on the team. How he was as cruel as to give Ginny that diary. How I had just wanted him to tell me how brave I was and that he was glad I was alright. I clear my throat. "Will Ginny be alright?"

"Miss Weasley has just been through a very difficult situation," he gravely replies. "It will leave a mark. She'll need family and good friends."

He looks again at me, inquiringly. "Is there anything else bothering you, mister Malfoy?"

I think of Hermione. "No, nothing, sir," I reply.

Dumbledore nods. "Well then. You must feel relieved to hear that tonight our attacked students will receive the potions made from the mandrakes and will join us at dinner. You know, mister Malfoy, I think all this merits a good feast." He then turns towards professor Snape. "You'll handle it from here. I will alert the house elves."

Severus dismisses Vince.

I look hesitantly at Severus. He no longer looks angry. He gives me a stiff hug. "Try not to take care of your life so foolishly again," he adds stiffly. "I do care, Draco and I gladly would have helped. Do not forget that."

I nod. Mother is still looking at me. "I was so worried," she blurted out. "You better not put me through that again. You endangered Vince and Harry too, Draco."

I felt abashed. "I did not mean to."

Mother's gaze softened. "I know," Narcissa said. "Things have consequences. You should still learn that. Just go to Severus next time." I nod.

Mother then starts crying. "Mum," I say, "Don't worry. I'll go to Severus next time. I won't put myself in danger. It was stupid." Still, it did not feel stupid what I did. I might even do it again, if I needed to.

Mother smiles. "I'm proud of what you've done. It is Lucius. He loves me. He loves you dearly. He is proud of you most of the time. But he keeps doing horrible things." She looks regretfully. "I do love your father."

I suddenly feel really upset. "I know, mum."

She smiles sadly at me. "Lucius put you in danger. You almost died because of that diary. You almost died because of his petty fight with Arthur Weasley."

"What are you telling me, mum?"

"I don't know," Mother sighs, "I love you Draco, you know that?" I feel my heart drop. "Of course." She hugs me and then floos back home, at least I think she did.

The feast that night was great. Pansy it seemed had been terribly worried and was glad to spend the feast laughing and talking.

 _Train ride back_

Normally I'd spend the train ride back with Pansy along with Vin and Greg. Now together with Ginny, Vin and Greg, we were looking across the Hogwarts Express. I nodded at Potter- no Harry respectfully and opened the door. Inside were Hermione and Ron as well.

An awkward silent ensued. "So Potter- no Harry, excited to go home for the summer," I ask. No one really said anything.

Vin then interrupted. "Good to see your no longer petrified, Hermione."

Hermione smiles back at Vin. "Thanks for visiting me when I was petrified, Vince," she then hesitantly adds, "You as well, Draco."

I feel uncomfortable. "I.. well.. You're welcome," I reply then I turn to Ginny, Vin and Greg, "We should find Pansy. She'll kill me if we do not ride back with her." I look back into the compartment. "Have a nice summer."

We then walk away and spend the rest of the train ride with Pansy. Ginny sits next to Vin, who has an arm around her shoulder. Ginny is silent, but seems a lot more at ease than I have ever seen her. Pansy is excitedly talking about her summer plans.

"So we are going to spend halve of the summer together in south Portugal, together Draco. Your mother invited us. Is it not exciting?"

I slowly nod. I feel surprised. Normally mother would have told me something like this, it must have been a last minute decision.

Pansy excitedly chatters on. ".. Why did you not tell me before your mother was planning that?" But she does not seem to expect an answer, since she keeps on talking.


	19. Chapter 19 Summer

_Summer_

When we arrived at the platform mother was there to greet us. She warmly embraced me and Pansy. "Pansy dear, your parents are a few days abroad for business for the ministry. They'll join us later in Portugal. Draco, honey, your father agreed there were some things he needed to attend to this summer. I'm sure you will see him later, sometime this summer, okay Draco? Unfortunately he'll not be able to join us in Portugal, Severus will though, a few days at least."

I only notice that she does not seem very sorry that father is not joining us.

She then gently grabs our shoulders and apparates us to Portugal. The weeks in Portugal pass by quickly. The sun feels hot on my skin, but there always seems to be a cooling breeze. The first few days are quiet.

Mother is very happy to have us home, or at least to have us close to her and is trying to squeeze as much stories about our time at Hogwarts as possible.

Pansy is happily chattering away about Greg's bow truckle. ".. and ever since Draco gave Greg those horrible wood lice and a few fairy eggs, that bow truckle has taken to ordering Slytherins around in the common room. Draco actually listens to that thing."

My mother gives me an appalled look. "Since when do you like anything other than a puffskein or an owl?"

Pansy snorts. I pull an affronted face. "I cannot help it magical creatures do not like me," I say. Pansy snorts a bit too loud, which annoys me. "Besides, the little guy is called Kevin and he is been very loyal to Greg. Plus I would not want to get on its bad side." Pansy looks at me as if she thinks I just said something ridiculous.

Mother laughs. "Surely you can handle a mere bow truckle?"

"Kevin is quite hot-headed," I say defensively, "He is a biter, when he gets mad."

Pansy gave me a look. "Just fling the thing around the room."

"He is tiny," I object.

Pansy gave me the look again. "Since when are you such a magical creature lover?"

I sigh. "I am not, Greg is. I can not just fling it's pet around the common room. And it is loyal to Greg."

Pansy looks exasperated at me. "It just wants some more fairy eggs."

"No, it.." Geez, I never told her. We had been occupied by the attacks and choosing our next year's electives. "Harry and Weasley had used some polyjuice potion to see if I knew who was the heir of Slytherin, of course, at that time I had no idea," I snort. "I have never seen Greg and Vin act so weird and idiotic." Softly I mutter, "Dunderheads." I laugh, looking back at it, I did not feel angry anymore, no, really, it was quite funny. "They put a sleeping Vin and Greg in some cupboard and little Kevin was furiously drilling me toward them. Even recognised that polyjuiced Potter and Weasley were not Vin and Greg. I think he bit Weasley quite bad." I snort. How utterly ungraceful. "Kevin's not so bad."

Mother smiles fondly at me. "Still, you not are not taking care of magical creatures?"

I give them both a look of how utterly ridiculous that would be. "Of course not," I say, "I will take the only two decent electives: arithmancy and study of ancient runes."

Mother looks proud. She always does, but now more like peacock-proud. "That is my little book-smart boy," she then adds, "Severus has said that he will join us in a few days. He is also very proud. He would have been very upset if your talent would go to waste on something like divination or care of magical creatures. It's a good thing Lucius sometimes listens to others, he just seems to get the most distasteful ideas. And he can get so hot-headed about it, like he is some idiotic Gryffindor." She looks like she just smelled something horrible. "Let's not talk about him, for now." She then looks very determined. "Oh look at that," she then changes the subject, "Pansy, dear, that dress would look wonderful on you dear. Don't you think so, Draco?"

I look from Pansy, who is fluttering her eyes at me a bit, seriously does she have something in her eye, to a petite, elegant-looking dress. "I guess so," I shrug.

My mother looks pointedly at me. "Well, Pansy dear, the boy you will wear that dress for, will be an extremely lucky boy."


	20. Chapter 20 Owl mail

_The Parkinsons_

Pansy's parents are joining us for dinner. Then of course, they'll stay with us on vacation. They always make me nervous somehow. Especially Pansy's mother. Persephone Parkinson is just very- well, to be honest, a bit vicious. Caspian Parkinson however is an entirely different person.

I am flying with Pansy outside. She looks very graceful on a broom. The thing about Pansy and flying is- she always keeps saying she's horrible and she does not even enjoy flying, but she is quite good and always looks very much at peace in the air.

For some reason, when I fly I always get very distracted by thoughts. Like seriously, what is going on between father and mother? I would not want them to divorce. I did not like what father had done and true he could act quite insensitive towards us and get carried away with hatred towards the Weasleys and muggleborns, but most of the time he was just father. Father who taught me how to ride a broom. Father who taught me astronomy with mother watching, adding stories about her family, which had a tradition of naming their children after stars. Father making mother happy, letting her giggle and endlessly twirling her around when they would dance.

People are far from black and white- and the more you get to know them, the more you ignore their faults.

"Dears," my mother then calls us, "Come and join us before Pansy's parents arrive. They won't be long." Pansy's mother was not fond of flying.

We are sitting around the table. Mother looks slightly bored whenever Persephone starts talking, I do not think mother likes her a lot, though she would not admit that anytime soon. Besides, mother is too fond of Pansy. She'd never do anything that could possibly estrange her from Pansy, like cross her parents.

Dinner is a bit tense.

Mother looks very dignified as she replies to the latest thing Persephone said. Pansy's mother always seems to notice something about everyone that is just not-good-enough, especially things concerning her daughter. "Well Persephone," mother says, "You have always had an eye for detail like an hawk." She then clears her throat, gives me and Pansy an exaggerated exhausted look. "Caspian, you are ever so quiet. Why don't you tell us about work at the ministry. I heard it was quite a debacle."

Caspian nods and happily launches into a story about how this french wizard had this horrible english translation and a fight almost broke out in a national wizarding peace conference. Caspian was very expressive, which was a rare trait in most people I met. He always made large hand movements when talking, regularly killing a glass or slamming something from the table. Which I thought was brilliant. He did not have a very interesting job at the ministry, but he had a very kind demeanour.

Then an owl arrived. The poor creature looked exhausted and stumbled while trying to land on the table, resulting in a softly hooting owl and a few vegetables on my lap and a broken dinner plate on the ground. I quickly took the letter and gave it some vegetables, which the owl happily ate. The owl looked quite old, like it was long past its best days.

Persephone looked horrified at the owl and took her wand. "Look at that," she crowed, "maybe we'd better put it out of its misery."

Protectively I hug the frail, old owl to my chest. Mother then intervenes. "Persephone is quite right," Narcissa then calmly interrupts, "Draco, Pansy, why don't you take the owl upstairs and give it some water and owl treats and let it stay with Artemis?"


	21. Chapter 21 Egypt

_Ginny's letter_

I quickly tug Pansy's sleeve and together we quickly leave the tense air of the dinner room. Silently we make our ways upstairs. The owl is softly hooting.

Pansy's long, bony fingers softly pat the barn owl. "Do you think it traveled from far?"

I shrug. "One way to find out.."

I take the envelope and pull a piece of newspaper and a letter out of it. I immediately recognise the redheads on the piece of newspaper in the picture. Ginny smiles brightly at us.

Pansy sighs loudly. "Too bad this is your mysterious owl post."

"What did you expect?" I glance at Pansy.

She sighs again, now more dramatically. "Well, it could have definitely been more exiting, couldn't it?" Her eyes light up mischievously. "You got have gotten a mysterious love letter. Or you could have gotten an ancient letter with some great mystery."

I snort. "You read too much crappy romance novels."

She looks haughtily at me. "I'd like to inform you that Farini's novels are not crappy romance novels, thank you very much."

I quickly read the newspaper. The Weasleys had won a drawing. "Either way, Pansy, aren't you happy for Ginny? I guess the money went to some people who could use it." It seemed to be quite some galleons.

Pansy looks a bit sour for a second. "Well I guess," she sniffs, "Maybe they should get a new owl. This one barely made it here. Look at it."

I look at the barn owl. I could not admit I silently agreed with her. "It seems very loyal.."

Pansy then starts feeding the owl some treats, which it gratefully took. "Loyal," Pansy says, "Well I guess so. This flight almost was the end of the poor thing. That should count as loyal."

I softly stroke the owls feathers. "You had quite the journey, didn't you?" I softly ask the owl, which softly hoots complainingly back.

Pansy leans into my shoulder. I did not notice how close we stood, while petting the barn owl. She has a soft smile on her face. "They should let it retire and feed it lots of owl treats," she decides. "Well, read me the letter, what has that redheaded devil to say?"

Pansy now leans a bit more into my body. I feel strangely distracted. I then read her the letter.

 _Draco,_

 _Guess what! Dad won a drawing and now we're going to visit my brother Bill in Egypt. Bill is my oldest brother. I haven't seen him in quite a long time. I am so excited. Mum and dad have been very worried though, ever since what happened with Tom._

Then some sentences are scratched out.

 _It would be nice to see Bill, though. He never treated me as a girl. And he's just cool. I mean, he is a curse breaker, that is kinda cool, right?_

Then some more sentences are scratched out.

 _Ron has been extremely fussy too, as if mum and dad are not enough. He barely lets me go for a stroll on my own. Can you believe him? Git.._

Then some more sentences are scratched out. I smirk, being able to make out one of them: I hope he gets lost in some tomb.

 _Either way, I really wanted to write to you. Ron almost threw a fit. Mum and dad told him to shove it, though. I didn't know where you stay, so I hope Errol did not have to fly too far. He is quite old and the journeys become harder. Give him some owl treats, he'd like that, but don't let him rest for too long. Just a few days or Ron will kill me. Harry's birthday is coming up, so he wants to send him a letter and a present. Did you know Ron and the twins had to save Harry from those horrible muggles he stays with? Apparently they locked him up._

Then more sentences are scratched out.

 _Isn't it horrible? Either way, Egypt! I can't wait. I have never seen much outside of Britain. I hope Bill will show us some really cool stuff that mum won't like. At the moment she still thinks everything is dangerous for me.._

Then a few scratched out sentences. I can only make out a few pieces. Doesn't help.. nightmares.. thanks.. still cannot believe I did all those things.. Tom.. so nice.. I'm glad.. friend.

 _Bill is cool though. He's always been cool. He'll probably show us some tombs and mummies. I can't wait to hear his stories about all his adventures. I haven't felt so excited since, well, since I'd go for Hogwarts for the first time. And then, well, you know.. Either way: I'M GOING TO SEE A PYRAMID!_

I snort.

 _Either way, have a nice summer, Draco. PS If you see Vin tell him I miss him. And let him read my letter. PPS If you see any of the others: Pansy, Greg, Theodore, Astoria, Daphne, Blaise or Millicent. Pass on my greetings._

Pansy is still slightly leaning on me. She has her eyes closed and I do not think she really heard anything from Ginny's letter. Maybe that was better, Ginny might not have wanted Pansy to read through it. Pansy seems to have noticed that I stopped talking. "Well, I hope our friend will have a nice time in Egypt," Pansy then softly murmers.

I smirk. "You weren't listening to a word I said, were you?"

Pansy blushes. She looks pretty when she blushes. "I did listen to your voice," she says, fluttering her eyes at me. "You have a really nice voice."

Again I cannot help but notice how close we are standing. I feel confused and feel my cheeks flush. "I better get Errol to Artemis. So he can rest."

Pansy blinks confused at me. I quickly walk away.


	22. Chapter 22 Black

_Black_

I am playing chess with Pansy. It was quiet. Pansy's parents were out, had to do some shopping for something. I've sent Artemis with Errol to ensure the poor thing did not have to overexert itself more than it already had to. I even asked Artemis to sent Potter's- no Harry's present to him. Well the present Ron got him. Artemis looked at me with a look that made clear it would be very offended if I'd use Errol for any mailing instead of him. So the house felt empty. The last few days my mother seemed distracted. She looked a bit lost, like something had happened that in no way could be foreseen. But I had no idea whatever that shocking ting could be, as far as I was aware, nothing out of the ordinary was happening. This unfortunately meant that mother was away a lot and we were often stuck with Pansy's mother. I definitely did not like how Pansy would get after being around her mother a lot.

I was getting a bit bored. "Checkmate," I declare.

Pansy then jumps up from her chair and walks to the floo. I sigh. Probably floo-calling Daphne again. The last few days she's been distant to me and has been avidly in contact with Daphne, who seems content to spend hours gossiping with Pansy about everything and everyone. Gossip definitely was not my thing. I walk towards the library and settle down a bit later with a book about Potions. It was quite an uninteresting morning, then I heard a pop downstairs. I put the book away. It is mother, next to her stands Lucius.

I feel strangely uncomfortable. Mother and father look very serious. I want to run away, but they have already seen me. Father walks towards me and clasps me in a tight hug, mother mostly looks tired. Her voice is a bit coarse when she speaks. "Draco dear, we should talk about some stuff. Something unforeseen has happened."

I feel a knot in my stomach.

The first thought crossing through my mind is they're filing for divorce. I feel myself deflate a bit. But when we three are sitting around the table, father gently squeezes mothers shoulders and lazily slungs his arms around her thin shoulders. Mother leans back into father.

Maybe, just maybe, things will get back to normal.

Mother softly strokes my cheeks. "A very dangerous wizard escaped from Azkaban a few days back."

"But mum, no one ever escaped from Azkaban," I feel shocked. Whatever I expected, it was not this. Mother smiles sadly.

Father softly clears his throat. "No one knows how Sirius Black escaped. I asked Fudge. He had no idea," he looks a bit pained, for once his high position at the ministry did not help him. "He did tell me that he'd met him, when he was visiting Azkaban. Just a few days before he escaped. Son, he seemed almost normal. Just asked for the newspaper. Like they were at some tea party." Father looks a bit shaken. "He should have been effected. No one leaves from Azkaban sane. Dementors are.." He looks a bit pale. "Dementors are horrible creatures. Suck all the joy away. For Black to have not been effected.. I don't even know what that means."

I nod slowly, trying to take it all in. It feels weird to see mother and father together again.

Mother then explains. "He was my cousin."

I feel scared. "Do you think he is after us?"

Mother and father look at each other. Father looks reassuringly at me. "We have no reason to think he'll go after one of us," he seems to hesitate for a second, but then continues. "Draco, we still expect you to be careful. I do not want you to get in trouble. Especially not because of what we are now going to tell you, but we think you deserve to know. Fudge told me Black kept murmering _He is at Hogwarts_ in his sleep. We think he is after mister Potter."

Mother scrutinises me. "The thing about my cousin is, Draco, no one expected him to go dark." She looks just as lost as I felt at that moment. "He was a Black, but he got himself in Gryffindor, spoke up against all pureblood ideas, I never knew him different than someone who opposed Voldemort and all his ideas."

"He betrayed the Potters," Father says, "He was James Potters best friend and declared brother, his best man and then his secret keeper. He sold them out to Voldemort, of course, the dark lord fell that night when he could not kill their son. He was caught after having murdered multiple muggles and former friend of him and the Potters: Peter Pettigrew." It is silent for quite some time. The father slightly smiles. "On a lighter note, your friend.."

"Harry?" I immediately ask.

Father nods. "Your friend thought it was a good idea to blow up his aunt and take the night bus, while Black was on the run. Left the ministry in quite a panic. They had no idea where Potter had went, while a mass murderer was after his tail."

I frown. "Is he okay?"

"I believe he is at the Leaky Cauldron till Hogwarts will start," father calmly answers.

I still do not feel entirely relieved. "Does he know?"

Father looks warningly at me. "I don't think mister Potter is aware of the whole story, but we would not want him to do anything rash, wouldn't we Draco? It would be a shame if Potter would manage to get himself killed by a mass murderer. You do realise that even if Black has done the most unforgivable things possible, he is still an extremely dangerous and accomplished wizard. He escaped Azkaban. You'll only make it easy on him if you go after him."

I feel a bit flabbergasted. "He can't not not know. He deserves to know," I rush to say, "Surely Harry is not as stupid as to go after a mass murderer?"

Mother hesitates. "Harry has shown himself brave, but extremely foolish. Surely Potter is not as stupid to go after a basilisk or whatever he did in his first year that almost got him killed?"

Father than adds "If anyone has a reason to charge after Black, it is him. He lost his parents because of him. James entrusted Black with his life, worse he entrusted Black with the life of his wife and child. There is no greater betrayal than that. You can't tell Potter."

Mother then softly strokes my cheek again. "We just want you to be careful. Let's just go home to the manor, if you want we can meet up with Harry, okay dear? You just can't tell him any of this."


	23. Chapter 23 Back to hogwarts

_The new teacher_

It was during dinner that Severus came storming in through the floo. "Can you believe what Dumbledore did?" He seems genuinely very angry.

Mother calmly puts down her cutlery. "Severus, dear, you know that I have already invited you for dinner multiple times, but storming in like this is quite rude. Not that I am not glad to see you."

Severus looks a bit calmer now. "Of course," he answers, "My apologies."

"No matter," mother smiles warmly at Severus. "Have a seat. Eat dinner with us."

He looks as if he is going to reject the offer. "I might as well," he then admits. "Dumbledore thought it a reasonable idea to hire Remus Lupin as the new defence teacher." His voice was very clear on how unacceptable he thought the new teacher would be. "Of course, I told him my reservations, but Albus would not listen."

Father puts down his glass of water. "Well, I will not stand for it," Lucius drawls. "Let me talk to some members of the board. I'm sure they'll be very sensitive to your case."

Severus looks a bit warily.

Father however does not seem to notice. "Considering with whom he was friends at Hogwarts."

"Dear, I believe he was friends with Lily and James Potter, if my memory serves me correctly, how could that ever help your case," mother soothingly reacts.

Father looks a bit annoyed. "His other friend, dear."

Mother smiles. "Peter Pettigrew?"

Father scowls. "I am talking about Sirius Black. They were friends and as a caring parent it would be more than fair to have my reservations about him as the new teacher. Isn't it very convenient that he starts teaching, while the summer before his old chap escaped Azkaban? Besides, I am sure they'd all be horrified to hear about _what_ Dumbledore chose as his new teacher."

"You'll do no such thing," mother smoothly intervenes.

Severus looks a bit sour. "As much as I'd like to agree with you, Lucius, the headmaster would not be pleased if Lupin's affliction came to daylight."

Father is looking intently at Severus. "I could still raise questions about Lupin's former friendship."

"Like Narcissa said, Lupin was also friends with the Potters," Snape sneers. He looks very tempted to let father run to the board to tell whatever dirt he had on Lupin. "Besides Dumbledore entirely trusts Lupin and he does care about his golden boy."

Father nods. "And you do not trust Lupin, but if you think that is best," father sighs, "Fine. I won't press charges. Take care off Draco. The headmaster might care for Potter, but he is not the only student at Hogwarts. I can at least trust you to ensure the safety of the students." Narcissa smiles softly at father, who notices her glance and softly squeezes her hand. "Severus, come over tomorrow. We should have dinner with just the four of us, as a family. Draco will almost go back to Hogwarts too, we should just have a quiet day together, with food and family."

Narcissa now is smiling broadly. "Lucius is right, you should come over tomorrow."

Severus nods sharply. "I should go back to Hogwarts. The headmaster did want to speak to me this evening."

 _Food and family_

Severus came over around two. We mostly spend the day talking. It was nice. Lucius seemed calmer, like he'd realised something about what he found more important and it was very clear to me that mother and I were high on that list. It felt kind of like Christmas. Everyone seemed in a great mood, except for Severus who seemed to be still a bit muffled over the new teacher.

Father seemed a lot more relaxed. Normally he'd only get this way after a few drinks. He acted silly, singing along with mums favourite songs, making me and mother laugh and pulling mother away to dance and twirl her in circles.

I mostly felt really curious about the new Hogwarts professor, but trying to needle any information out of Severus is like trying to kill a dragon with flubberworms. It really was a waste of time. "So, why do you hate the new Hogwarts teacher so much?"

Severus looks very much like he wants to say something else. "I don't hate professor Lupin. I just had some reservations. I expect you to do well in his classes."

I snort, thinking back about our previous teachers. "Is he as horrendous as Lockhart and Quirrel? Are we going to learn anything?"

Severus snarls. "At the very least, I am pleased to say, he knows his subject." Cool. I might actually learn some defence this year.

Then I remember Severus trying to get hired as the new DADA teacher each year. "Sorry you did not get the position."

Severus looks surprised. "I do not like teaching. I don't care about the position."

Well, to be honest that makes a lot of sense. I hesitate. "Why do you teach?"

"Life unfolds in mysterious ways, Draco," Severus answers. "If you can tell me the intricate of the universe, maybe then you can explain, why I torture myself with the pleasure of teaching dunderheads."

Well, okay, maybe he did not want to answer that. I then smile cheekily at him. "You don't only teach dunderheads. You teach dunderheads and your brilliant godson." Severus looks slightly amused. "But seriously, why don't you just quit, if you hate the job so much."

Severus looks a bit annoyed with my question. "He offered me the job when no one else was willing to hire me. I had not made myself very popular."

"Well, I am sure father could help you get you any job you'd like," I say. "He considers you a dear friend."

Severus takes a sip of his drink. "I have no interest in a job in the ministry and do not be a fool to think that your father holds all the influence in the world. I do not want my way bought in, I'm sure that is something you can understand."

"Still," I insist, "You like potions. You are obviously extremely talented. Someone should be more than interested to have you working for them."

Severus smiles. "Look, I can deal with the dunderheads, Draco, no need for your concerns," he says, "I have my reasons to keep this job. Some of them are none of your concern. Some of them you can know. I'll tell you one. This job gives me the opportunity to spend a lot of time with you."

Then it is silent for quite some time. Mother and father then join us. Mother is smiling broadly. "I think you've spun me around one time too many, dear. I feel a bit lightheaded."

Father looks smugly. "Maybe we should dance more often. I do like how you smile when we dance."

"I'd like that," my mother softly answers. She then smiles warmly at me and Severus. "Draco dear, excited to go back to Hogwarts?"

Severus smoothly cuts in before I can answer. "Well Narcissa, I must admit I am less than pleased to go back to teaching dunderheads again. At least there is one point of light in it all in the form of my brilliant godson."

I snort. Mother looks amusedly from me to Severus. "It would be nice to see my friends again," I then admit. "And I will take my elections for the first time."

Father smiled hesitantly at me. "Yes, you'll take arithmancy and study of ancient runes," he says quickly, "That are quite some challenging subjects you picked out."

I smile back, hesitantly. "Well, I could not see myself taking something as humiliating as divination."

Father snorts. "I am glad you are not taking divination. Arithmancy and ancient runes are very useful subjects," he then adds softly, almost encouragingly.

"I guess," I answer.

Father then looks to his feet for a second. "And, did your friends take the same electives?"

Mother smirks proudly. "Please, not everyone is as smart en level-headed as Draco, dear."

Only Theodore took the same electives," I answer. "I think arithmancy will be just me, Theodore and a lot of Ravenclaws. Pansy signed up for ancient runes and divination. Pansy was actually quite excited for divination."

Mother shakes her head. "She really is quite smart. I do not understand why perfectly smart girls like her still are drawn to such dramatic nonsense."

"Well, as far as I can remember you had chosen divination too, dear," father snorts. "Talked about it for weeks, how exciting it would be to see the future.."

Mother lightly smacks father on his belly. "At least, I did not follow divination for the rest of my years at Hogwarts," she says dignified. "After my first class I immediately ran to Slughorn to ask him to change electives. Arithmancy was a lot more useful and taught actually valuable stuff."

"I remember that," father quips happily, "You were ever so snooty. You always knew best and did things exactly as you wished them to do."

Mother looks inquiring at Father. "How else would I learn exactly how rubbish divination was?"

"Of course dear," father answer, while rolling his eyes at me. I snort. "I do like that you got that level-headedness from your mother." He then says with a wink, "Just use it next time before you try to befriend a basilisk."

"Hey," I object, "I definitely did not befriend it. Believe me, it was far from friendly."

Mother looks a bit pale at the mention of the basilisk. "Well, at least he is not taking divination like you did," she then lightly joked.

"Well," father quipped, "I could not help it some wonderful, gorgeous girl was always talking about how wonderful it would be to tell the future. I thought it might help me woo her."

Mother looks slightly mortified. "You always told me how rubbish it was, even before you chose it as an elective," mother objects.

"Then after having survived a year of divination, of making up elaborate dreams and dramatic stories," Lucius continues, "This girl finally takes this class and when I want to corner her after her first lesson of divination and want to tell her I saw us marrying together in a glass orb in my first divination exam, she at once thinks divination is the most pathetic thing and laughs at me, straight in my face."

Mother snorts. "Oh, I'm sorry dear."

"I remember that," Snape then adds, "That was the day Narcissa here won my respect. Before she always was so snooty and girly, wanting to take divination of all things, then after she was still very snooty, but also level-headed and no nonsense."

"I am not snooty," Mother objects. "I have always been a very dignified lady."

"Of course," Severus answers curtly.

"I have been thinking," Lucius then interrupts, "I thought that it might be a good idea if we got Draco's school supplies today. I think it would set our minds at peace if you would be there with us, Severus."

Severus curtly nods. He looks at me. "I have no objections, though I do not think Black would be so idiotic to try something in Diagon Alley. But one can never be too careful."

Father looks darkly. "It's where Potter is. And next, Potter will go to Hogwarts. Neither are places Black can just appear without commotion. I appreciate it, Severus."

The rest of the days was filled with conversations, food and ice-cream. While getting my books, the poor book shop assistant seemed quite devastated when I told him I was a third year Hogwarts student, but after ensuring him I did not need books for care of magical creatures he seemed a lot more at peace. When I saw the feared books trapped in a cage, furiously trying to bite people walking by I at once was very happy not to have chosen this elective. Whoever thought that would be a funny book, would not be my best friend.

The rest of the day passed calmly. All in all it was a very nice day with just family. I even shortly got to speak Harry, more like say hi, who was eating an ice-cream at Florian Fortescue, who was telling him all kinds of things about history.

 _Hogwarts Express_

Today I'd go to Hogwarts. Mother would floor me to the station, father said his good-byes at the manor. He hugged me. Looked a few seconds at me, carefully studying my face. "Be careful and try to do well. I'll miss you."

I quickly hug him. "I'll miss you too." Then mother apparates us to the platform. I spot Pansy, for a moment I want to tackle her in a hug, then I spot Daphne next to her. Maybe I'll see her later, I then decide.

Mother then hugs me too. "I know I don't have to tell you to do well in school, but try your best. I'm very proud of the grades you've gotten last year. You are a very smart boy. And don't forget to write. I want to know how you are doing. Tell me if something happens. And before running into trouble, remember to go to Severus."

"I will mum," I answer slightly muffled, due to still being in a tight hug.

She then quickly releases me, quickly composing herself. "Good. Have a nice school year dear. And tell Pansy her hair looks nice. She seems to have put some labour in it."

"Okay," I answer confused. "Bye mum." I wave, before I head to the train. I then find a compartment with Theodore and Ginny, which I join.

I swing the door open. "Hey guys." I quickly study Ginny, she seems to have even more freckles than before. "So how was Egypt?"

Ginny smiles broadly. "Great. I was just telling Theodore about the pyramid Bill showed us. It had all kind of traps and horrendous jinxes to keep invaders out and Bill kept telling all those stories of how important it was to keep on your guard and to be careful. There was some really horrible pyramid, where all this muggles tried to break in and there lay all this corpses that had grown extra heads and limbs. Mum definitely does not like Bill to have such a dangerous job and she continuously kept telling him to cut his hair short. But he just likes it long and he's got this fang in his ear, which mother thought was horrendous. He just told her no one at works gives damn about his looks as long as he brings plenty of treasure home. And he showed us quite some scars that he'd got during work and told great stories, one he got from battling mummies. And Bill was just really nice."

And the train ride as well was very nice. Ginny was enthusiastically telling us about her brother Bill and Egypt. Theo seemed more than interested to find out more about Egypt. To be truthful, we all were. I told them some stories about my vacation with Pansy. Theo mostly talked about arithmancy and asked a lot of questions about the sort of curses Ginny had encountered in Egypt. Vin and Greg joins us. Greg was more than excited to see his bow truckle again. Then the train stopped.

Theo grabs his wand. "Why would the train stop, we're clearly not yet there."

"Maybe someone should ask the conductor," I say. I then see how pale Ginny looks and put my arm around her. She seems to sense something really bad. Then the lights turn off and the windows seem to freeze. Strange, it had not seemed that cold outside. Then hordes of dark-cloaked creatures swarm around the Hogwarts express. A bony hand stuck in through the unclosed window. Ginny started shaking. She looked ash-white.

One of the dark-cloaked creatures enters our carriage. I felt like I'd never be happy again. Is this what a dementor looks like? It seemed drawn to Ginny, who feeling her shudder in my arms, seems very much affected by it. I try to stand between them and Vin seems to mirror my move.

The dementor then seems mostly focused on Vin, who is growing rapidly pale, but does not move aside. Then at once the dementors all retreat and the lights flash on again.

Everyone seems at least a bit shaken. Conversations after that feel hesitant and are mostly small talk.

Then a thin, baggy-clothed man barged in, on his face was a long thin scar, who presented himself as our new defence teacher. He gave us all chocolate and told us about dementors and asked if everyone was alright. Then he left. She Ginny seemed to relax again and to regain some of her colour after eating some chocolate, I excused myself, wanting to look for Pansy.

Pansy was sharing a compartment with Daphne, Astoria, Blaise and Millicent. It seemed she was just a bit shaken up by the arrival of the dementors, but a reaction like Ginny had to it, seemed quite much worse. I did not tell her about it and went back to the others.

When the train stops for the second time, not due to dementors, everyone leaves the compartment and I quickly snatch onto Vin's sleeve. We are the only ones that are still in the compartment. "So, how about Ginny?" I ask. "Going to ask her out any time soon?"

"I don't know, Draco," Vin looks a bit sullen. "I just think she needs a few really good friends. You saw how shaken up she was after the dementors." He looks contemplating. "No. No, I'm not asking her out. I just want to be there for her. I want to be her friend. She needs one."

I smile. That was really sweet. I clap his back. Then we quickly walk out of the train and get in line for the carriages.


	24. Chapter 24 Arithmancy

_Classes_

I wake up too early, but get out of bed anyways, knowing Blaise has a tendency to take long showers. So if I want some hot water, I should probably go now. When I walk into the common room, it is still early and quiet, only Millicent is already up. She is petting her cat.

"Hi Milli," I say, "Want to head down for breakfast?"

She nods, still she looks a bit reluctantly as she puts down her cat, who then settles down to sit on her feet. She sighs and rolls her eyes at me. "The lazy thing never allows me to leave her." Then she shoos her cat and we head up for breakfast. "So, care of magical creatures should be interesting this year, won't it? Hagrid seems like he has a very different opinion of what a proper magical creature is for third-years to handle. Should make things a little more excited."

Millicent looks quite excited for Hagrid to be the new teacher.

I smile, feeling glad that I did not choose care of magical creatures. Of course, someone who is half giant would think an aggressively biting book was funny. "Well," I then say, "If the book is anything to go by, you will all have quite the year. I am very glad to have chosen arithmancy and ancient runes."

Millicent snorts. "Yeah," she says, "I should have expected that. I just thought that since you know Vin and Greg were taking it too. Well, I will only see you during core classes then." I look inquiringly at her. Don't tell me she also took divination. "I have chosen muggle studies," she then warily told me.

I feel surprised. Somehow I had not expected her or anyone from Slytherin to take muggle studies. But Slytherins probably had the worst knowledge about muggles, so it should make sense that they took it as a class. "I thought about taking it too. But well- apparently it is taught by a pureblood witch, who just does not understand what she is teaching."

Now it seems to be Millicents turn to be surprised. "Never expected that from you," she blurts out, "Well, too bad about the teacher. Still my knowledge is quite low. I am sure she can still teach me something."

We enter the great hall. Only a handful of people were already here, among them Ginny and Astoria, who we happily greeted. Astoria is apparently complaining about her sister- Daphne, who had been gossiping with Pansy too much.

"Tell me about it," I say frustrated. "Pansy and I had the greatest summer, exploring Italy, enjoying the weather, flying, reading books and playing chess and then she was just distant and constantly floo calling Daphne." I feel myself growing annoyed. "I get that her mother does not always gives her a lot of space to breathe, but I just don't get why she can steam it off some other way. Can't she just play some quidditch, maybe hurl some bludgers away or something."

Astoria snorts. "Girls don't work that way," Astoria says indignantly. Ginny looks very much like she does exactly work that way and vehemently agrees with my words.

I take some pancakes for breakfast. The other students slowly walk in and get down for breakfast. People watching can be kind of fun.

Then Severus is handing out our schedules. When he comes to me, he softly says, "Talk to me after potion class." I nod curtly, then quickly look at my classes.

First thing in the morning is Arithmancy. Then potions. In the afternoon I got charms and then a free period. Well, I shrugged not too bad for a first day. I looked at the others. "So what have you got as a first and last class?"

Vin shrugs. "Care of magical creatures and divination."

Yikes. Well, it was his own choice. "Arithmancy and a free period," I answer.

"Me too," Theodore says. "Wanna head up to Arithmancy? I'd like to be early, leave a good first impression. Since it is a new class and all." I nod and we go in search of classroom 7B. It seemed we were not the only ones with the idea to turn up early. In the classroom a few students sat around scattered, mostly Ravenclaws had signed in for this class. I recognised Hermione and some ravenclaws: Lisa Turpin, Anthony Goldstein, Isobel McDougal, Sue Li and Padma Patil. There also were some Hufflepuffs, though I did not recognise all of them, only Ernie Macmillan and Susan Bones. Later when Professor Vector went through the names I found out that the two other Hufflepuffs were called Oliver Rivers and Hanna Abbot.

"Welcome," professor Vector then starts the class. "To your first class in arithmancy. We will start with some basic numerology. Is there anyone who can tell me something about this subject, seeing as this is the first time you have ever encountered this subject I thought it would be a good idea to make a word web together to see what you already know and what you don't yet know."

Vector puls her short black hair back into a pony tail. She must be one of the youngest professors at Hogwarts, probably around thirty. She sits calmly on the desk. She looks expectantly through the class. "Anyone who'd like to go first? I'd like to hear about a number and its magical properties." Immediately Hermiones hand shot up, hardly surprising.

Vector happily said, "Yes, miss Granger?"

Miss Granger then recited as if reading from a textbook. "In the thirteenth century Bridget Wenlock came up with a magical theorem about the magical properties of the number seven. It is associated with strength, volatileness, reactiveness, change and fire."

Vector nods shortly and seems to try not to laugh at Hermione reciting the textbook. "Very well," Vector says, "I think you read the introductory chapter of the textbook." I snort. Hermione looks a bit put out. I think I am going to like this professor. Professor vector then waves her wand. Around the word numerology, now stood the number seven with the five named properties. "Does anyone know an example where we can see the magical properties of the number seven?"

Bored, I raise my hands, as do several of the others. "Mister Malfoy, what can you recite?"

I smile confidently. "In potions there are many observations of the magical properties of the number seven. Seven stirrings for example often lead to strong or volatile properties. And the effect of many potion ingredients can be described by the number of seven. Potion ingredients from dragons, which is one of the few magical creatures firmly associated with the number seven, are often volatile or easily catch fire." I could go on but professor Vector cuts me off.

She is looking pleased with my answer though, so that counts for something. "Very good, Malfoy," she says, while looking at me measuringly, "Ten points to Slytherin." I feel like for once I might not be second best to Granger in everything. "Dragons are seen as the embodiment of the number seven. They are aggressive, strong and breath fire." She then looks annoyed at Granger. "Please, miss Granger if you could stop taking notes for a second, I want everyone to be activated in class, not reiterate every word I say." Granger actually looks a bit shocked at being told off, but hesitantly puts her writing stuff away. "Mr Goldstein can you tell me something about the potion ingredients derived from dragons?"

Goldstein hesitates, then nods curtly. "Dragon blood is the most common used part of dragons for potions. When adding it to potions it is always very important to add the exact right amount, as not to create an extremely volatile potions or and explosion."

"Fair," professor Vector then says, "Though I think the right measurement is always very important in potions. Other potion ingredients from dragons are dragon claws, dragon liver and dragon scales. They all share the properties of making strong potions, often radically changing the colour and the thickness of the potion and of reacting volatile with other substances and are likely to cause burns or explosions. Miss Turpin, can you tell me what dragon heart string is used for?"

She curtly answers. "It is used as a wand core, often produces wands that are strong, volatile and can quickly change owners."

Professor Vector smiles. "Ten points to Ravenclaw. Again we see the properties of the number seven relate to dragons. To conclude our discussion about dragons I would like to point out that dragons often have a multitude of seven amount of scales and thorns, some even have a seven multitude of claws."

She then turns to me again. "Mister Malfoy, you mentioned dragons as being one of the few creatures associated with the number seven, what are the others?"

"Well I," I say a bit panicked. "Phoenixes and hippogriffs, professor."

She nods. "Five points to Slytherin. The magical properties of the number seven are so strong that even muggles notice whiffs of its properties sometimes. One example of that would be in chemistry, which is the muggle equivalent of potions, there is a theory, well to be fair it will probably go over all off your heads, but I still think it is interesting to mention," professor Vector says. Goldstein snorts derisively. Professor Vector looks far from amused. "Well, mister Goldstein if you think it is easy, I'd like to ask you to explain before the class next week what muggles found out of the properties of elements the number of valence electrons in its shell. I expect all of you to write a ten-inch parchment on examples of the magical properties of the number seven for next class. I would encourage you to find examples outside of potions, since we have already discussed quite a few." Well, shoot, most of my knowledge was from what Severus taught me. Never mind, I'll just go to the library. "Miss Patil, can you tell me about another number and its properties?"

Patil strokes through her hair with her left hand. "You've got the number phi," she says confidently. "It is associated with healing, water and time."

Professor Vector jumps up from the desk. "Very good, ten points to Ravenclaw. For now, since we seem to be limited for time, lets see how many magical numbers and properties we can add to the list." She looks encouragingly. "Yes, mister Nott."

Nott calmly answers. "Pi is associated with growth, transformation and invisibility."

"Great," professor Vector says energetically. "Ten points to Slytherin. Mister Malfoy."

"Five," I say, "It is associated with offence and desire."

This is how it continued for a few minutes till professor Vector ended classes.


	25. Chapter 25 Potions

_Back into school rhythm_

With Theo I headed down. "Nice job, Draco," Theo says. "Got us quite some points from professor Vector."

I feel pleased. "Yeah, well. Most of my knowledge was from Severus."

"You must learn a lot," Theo says slightly envious, "With Severus as your godfather."

"Well," I then say, "I like professor Vector. She doesn't accept mediocre answers. I like that."

Theo laughs. "Did you see Granger's face?"

"That was brilliant," I say. "I thought her head would explode. God, that must have been tough for her, not to have been able to take notes for once."

"I know right," Theo then reacts. "She probably even takes notes of the conversations she has with her friends."

I laugh. "How do you think care of magical creatures went?" I then add eagerly. "Maybe some Gryffindor lost his fingers to one of those horrid books." It is not that I wish some Gryffindor pain or illness, it is just fun to complain about them sometimes.

Theo laughs. "We can always wish."

We walk into the gloomy classroom. Severus smiles warmly at me for a second, then goes back to looking menacingly at Gryffindors, when everyone seemed to have arrived, he shortly addressed us. "Today you shall be making a shrinking resolution. I expect this should not be a problem, since I have assigned you an assay over the summer vacation. So you should all be properly prepared." He then looks a little smug. "None of you should have any reason to be fearful if I say we might try out some of your concoction on your familiars." He gives Longbottom a long, menacing look, making him wimper. Maybe Severus sometimes goes a bit far. I frown. Or Longbottom should just grow some backbone. Then he waves his hand. "The recipe is on the board. You still have forty-five minutes, so I guess you all better start."

Theo is getting the ingredients, while I'm preparing the right temperature for the potion. He throws some caterpillars on my desk, that I carefully start slicing. Theo is peeling the shrivelfigs.

I add the five caterpillars to the cauldron and heat them, watching them slowly turn red. Theo is now shaking the peeled shrivelfig. Then Theo questioningly looks at me. I nod. the potion is bright red and the shrivelfig looks just fine to me. We slowly add it, stopping abruptly when the potion turns yellow.

Theo adjusts the fire, so now the potion is softly simmering. Theo then starts preparing the rat spleens. So I take the daisies, which I carefully mince. Potions really felt quite peaceful.

Normally I worked with Pansy, but she had already paired up with Daphne and Theo showed to be quite adequate and a lot less talkative. I decided I did not mind the change in partners.

Every few minutes Theo and me check the colour of the potion, but it is still not the desired shade of purple. Then Severus scowls loudly. "Idiot boy," he sneers, standing before a panicky looking Longbottom, "You used too much leech juice and rat spleens. I hope you have put some effort in your essay, cause we will feed some of your.. concoction on your toad." Longbottom gulps. I feel a bit bad for him, but really how hard was it to follow some instructions. Severus even gave his own adjusted recipes. Theo nudges me.

The poison now has a deep shade of purple. I should not have allowed myself to have been so distractive. Still, it would be an adequate potion. Theo adds four rat spleens, then I start adding minced daisies, while carefully studying the colour. Theo appreciatively looks at the colour. It is Slytherin green.

I add the leech juice, then Theo adds more shrivelfigs, after which he stirs the potion. I glance at Longbottom. Granger is whispering encouragements and instructions to save his potion.

Ours is pink now. I think I liked the green colour better. It is almost done and settles for a green colour at the end, like it should. I look at the clock. Just a few minutes till the end of class. I put off the fire and lean back, looking amusedly at Longbottom who seems to have managed an adequate potion with some help from Hermione.

When Severus tests it on Longbottom's toad it works just perfectly, leaving behind a little tadpole, where first was a pudgy toad.

I stay behind, looking expectantly at Severus. "Not up to your usual work, Draco," Severus notes. "I hope you have not been slacking of this summer."

I shake my head horrified. "Of course not, Severus. I was distracted by Longbottom. Unfortunately, I added the rat spleens too late," I spat. I then feel a bit embarrassed, I still should have tried concentrating more.

Severus nods. "It is an utter shame we have to put up with such dunderheads," he drawls. "Though I would like to advise you to not get this easily distracted during potions again. There could be more dire consequences than a drop in grades from an outstanding to an exceeding expectations."

I smile, feeling relieved we still managed an exceeding expectations. "Of course, Severus."

"So," Severus says, "You still wish to learn more about muggles?"

I nod eagerly.

Severus sighs. "If you are sure."

"I am," I say. "I am sure."

Severus nods sharply. "Visit me sunday at eleven am. We'll have more time then, I think a field trip would be more informative than any text book."

I smile. "See you sunday, Severus."

I walk to the great hall for lunch. I sit next to Greg, who looks quite sullen. "What's up, Greg?"

Greg hesitates. "You probably wouldn't care." It wasn't exactly accusatory. It sounded more like a statement.

I hesitate too. "You could still tell me." I then answer.

"It was magical creatures," Greg says. "Hagrid showed us hippogriffs." I feel confused. Did Greg not get along with those hippogriff-things? "They were beautiful and he really knew a lot about the hippogriffs. Hagrid is really great and nice, Draco," he looks pointedly at me. "It was Zacharias Smith. He was just awful to Hagrid and so were most of the Slytherins and then Smith called the hippogriff's ugly and stupid and it was just awful.." Greg looks sullen again. "I don't want Hagrid or Buckbeak to get in trouble."


	26. Chapter 26 Wait, what?

_Hagrid_

The next day I had ancient runes, after which I had transfigurations. I walked into the classroom and sat down next to Pansy. She smiled at me. "Well, I am glad you're not helping Greg," she says seriously. "It was horrid Draco, if you had been there you would have gone to your father to demand the things head." Pansy sniffs. I shift uncomfortably in my chair. "The horrid beast just attacked Smith. I can't believe Dumbledore lets that oaf teach here. Daphne thinks so too."

I don't know how to react.

Class comes as a welcome distraction. Then the professor claps in her hand. "Welcome students," She then starts, "I teach study of ancient runes here at Hogwarts. My name is Bathsheda Babbling." She then goes through the list of names.

Professor Babbling seems to be easily distracted and very talkative. "Draco Malfoy?" I curtly say yes. She smiles broadly at me. "Your mother is Narcissa Black right?" I nod, confused. People asked after my father. "Well, I guess it must be Malfoy now," she says. "She was a few years my senior at Hogwarts. I saw her a couple time at Slughorn's parties. He was very fond of her. She always looked dashing."

She then goes back to the names on her list, occasionally taking a detour. Then when she has called all names, she waves her wand and ten runes appear before us. "As an introductory question I'd like to know if someone might recognise these runes and can tell me a bit about them?"

I kind of expect Granger to stick up her hand, but we have classes with the Hufflepuffs, so I raise my hand as do some others.

Professor Babbling smiles broadly. "Good. Good. I see quite some raised hands. Miss Parkinson, why don't you tell us what you know?"

"These are the runes that symbolise numbers," Pansy answers."

"Very good, miss Parkinson," professor Babbling says, "Ten points to Slytherin. These runes indeed symbolise the numbers." She then waves her hand again, making all the numbers switch. "Now, these runes, which symbolise zero to nine are mixed up, to make things a bit harder. Mister Finch-Fletchey, do you know which of these runes stands for the number zero an how it symbolizes for it?"

He looks a bit warily at the runes. "No professor," he answers a bit embarrassedly.

Professor Babbling still smiles kindly at him. "Well, no matter, mister Finch-Fletchey. You are here at Hogwarts after all to learn something." He looks relieved. "Anyone else who might know the answer?"

She then points at Susan Bones, who had raised her hand. "The number zero is symbolised by a demisguise, a magical creature that has the ability to make itself invisible. As if there is nothing and thus symbolising zero." She then points at the rune that ought to symbolise it.

Professor Babbling nods excitedly. "Very good, may I ask your name? It is after all still the first class. I will try to remember them as soon as I can."

"Susan Bones," she then answers."

Professor Babbling waves her hand, putting the rune of the demisguise on the first place. "Very good, miss Bones. Fifteen points to hufflepuff. Mister Finch-Fletchey, I'd like to give you another shot. Can you recognise the number one?"

Professor Babbling looks patiently towards the hufflepuff. Really, how difficult could this one be. The unicorn depicted should be quite obvious. "I'll help you a bit. Which of the runes depicts an animal that could stand for the number one?"

"The unicorn," mister Finch-Fletchey then answers hesitantly.

Professor Babbling looks very pleased and gives him fifteen points for his answer. We go through the rest of the alphabet. After zero symbolised by the demisguise and one symbolised by the unicorn, we go through them a bit more smoothly. The two long horns from a graph horn symbolise the number two. The three heads of a runespoor stand for the number three. Four is depicted by the different colours of a fwooper, which appears to be some bird. Five by the five club footed legs of a quintaped. Six by how long salamanders can survive outside fire. For seven the rune is known, but not why it depicts seven. Eight by the eyes of an acromantula. And lastly nine depicted by the heads of an Hydra.

Then professor babbling disappears the runes. "Very well. I think this was a very good start for a first lesson. I would like you to learn these ten runes by heart, so later on this course you will not confuse them with runes that depict words. Furthermore I'd like to ask you to translate these three runes before next class. Some of you might immediately recognise these runes as they are quite famous. I'd also like to know who wrote these words down."

I did recognise them and was pretty sure even the introductory text mentioned them. The runes were written down by Merlin himself.

"Now before the ending of the class I'd like to tell you a bit about how we will use our following lessons. First we will go over a few runes that you will encounter a lot during these lessons as to make translations a little bit easier on all of you and some basic rules that can help you get the hang of it. During classes we will practice a lot with translations. Your end exam this year will also feature an ancient runic script that you will have to translate and a more difficult script that you will have to answer some questions about. Then we will mostly look at important runic texts and go through them together and talk about the historic value of these texts. After each class I will always give you some runes that you will have to learn and sometimes a few to translate."

She smiles broadly at the class. "Well," she then concludes. "I hope today I have been able to make clear what will be expected and learned during ancient runes and that you have enjoyed your first lesson in ancient runes."

When we reach the transfiguration classroom, most seats are already filled. I slide in a seat near the front, next to Greg, who looks sulkily at me. I feel a bit annoyed. Can't he just get over it?

The students are awfully quiet. Strange. Then professor McGonagall stands up transforms into a cat and then back into herself, looking through the class slightly confused. That is pretty cool. I feel impressed. Professor McGonagall really is one of the best teachers, of course bleak compared to professor Snape and a real shame she favours her Gryffindors so much.

McGonagall then seems to understand something. "You had your first divination class, didn't you?" Her hawk-like eyes go through the class. Some students mutter back a disheartened yes. "Well, that settles it. I have never before achieved such down reactions on transforming into my animagicus form. Well, then, Mister Malfoy, who was the unlucky student Trewlaney this year predicted would die before the end of the school year?'

I look a bit shocked. Wait- what, she can't possible mean someone was going to die. She gives Greg a pitying look. Well it did make sense why the class was so unnaturally silent. "I don't know, professor. I have chosen arithmancy and ancient runes as electives, they seemed a lot more useful."

Professor McGonagall gives me a clear look that shows that she actually seems appreciative of my words for once, normally she does not seem to think much of me. Even when I am doing a spell perfectly.

She looks into the class. "Well, someone else please enlighten me who professor Trewlaney chose as her unlucky victim?"

Patil then softly answers. "Harry Potter is dying before the end of the school year." She sounds upset.

"Well, mister Potter," professor McGonagall then says, "I am sure you are very happy to hear that I have seen my colleague predict the death of one student each subsequent year and none of them have ever dropped dead. So I expect you like all other students have properly done your summer homework."

Potter nods. With a wave of her wand, professor McGonagall collects all the homework assignments and starts our lesson about animagicus. It is interesting, but the sulking of Greg keeps distracting me. He obviously was not upset because of Potter's predicted death.

"Look," I whisper annoyed, "What do you expect me to do? I am sure that Hagrid will be fine. The headmaster will just back him up. And who cares what happens whatever happens to that hippogriff. It shouldn't have attacked a student." I sigh. Looking at Greg's face that obviously did not help.

"Hagrid is a good teacher," Greg reacts stubbornly. "He told us to be respectful to the hippogriffs and that idiot wasn't. It was his own fault and now he is trying to weaken Hagrid's teaching position and kill of Buckbeak. I tried to visit Hagrid and he looked a mess, kept talking on and on how he shouldn't have showed us such dangerous magical creatures. You should have seen him, Draco. Now he'll probably only let us handle flubberworms, because of that idiot. And he just got away with it, with barely a scratch on his arm!"

I feel frustrated. This is not my problem. Why does he expect my help. Just because my father is on the board as a school governor, does not mean I have a lot of influence. I want to say: the oaf shouldn't even be teaching, but really that would be hardly helpful.

"I'm sorry," I then say. "Look, I can't just go to father with this, he'll hardly care more for some beast then a pureblood. Maybe if it wasn't Zacharias Smith, but some muggleborn." Wow, that sounds awful. "If it was Granger I am sure I could have helped. But it isn't."

Greg now looks less sulkily. "Did you really have to use Hermione as an example? Besides she would have never done that."

I sigh. "Fine, just not a pureblood student."

Greg now looks a bit fiery. "Still, you could help. We don't need your father. What if we just give him a good case and with your support.. I am sure that will help."

I sigh. I look at Greg. He seems extraordinarily determined. He was always quite passionate about magical creatures. "I guess so."

Greg looks happily again. "Good, after DADA we'll go to the library. After that we'll visit Hagrid. I am sure Hagrid will be delighted to have your support."

Fine. At least now I can finally concentrate on transfigurations again. Wait. What? I will not meet that oaf. What would father say?


	27. Chapter 27 DADA

DADA

With reluctance I walked into the classroom. I was not sure what to think of the professor. Severus showed clear contempt for him. He leaned relaxed against the wall. He wore shabby, old robes and looked just as worn as his clothes did. Not as much as on the train though. He hardly looked dangerous. Still, it was clear he was an able wizard to fend of the dementors on the train. Besides, Severus said we'd at least have a decent teacher, not something he'd say lightly. The professor had a kind smile. He must have noticed me staring. Embarrassed I look away.

I look at the closet that stands in the middle in the classroom. It is clear that something is in it. The students seem to have surrounded it. I did not notice the professor had walked to the front. "Welcome to defence against the dark arts," the professor says, "Do not fear the creature in the closet." He says with a wave of his hands. "I am professor Lupin. I have heard from professor Dumbledore that your previous teachers were not very good, so do not be afraid to ask for help, even for things you should have already been able to do."

The closet rumbles again. "As for today," professor Lupin says, "Can anyone tell me what creature is in the closet?"

Immediately Granger sticks up her hand and professor Lupin gestures her to answer. "A boggart, professor Lupin," Granger answers, "They hide in dark places and feed off people's fears. They turn shape into whatever a person fears most."

Lupin takes his wand. "I couldn't have put it better myself. Very good miss.."

Granger smiles. "Miss Granger, sir."

"Ten points to Gryffindor," Lupin then says. "It is indeed a boggart in this closet. Mr. Filch found one near the beginning of the school year and I asked him if I could use it for classes. Mr Potter, boggarts have an disadvantage when faced with a crowd. Could you maybe tell me what that disadvantage is?"

Harry scrunches up his face thinking. "Maybe it doesn't know what to turn into? Since not everybody fears the same."

"Very good," Lupin says. He looks strangely at Harry. "Ten points to Gryffindor. Miss Brown, can you tell me how you beat a boggart?" I see on her face she doesn't know. I stick my hand up, annoyed. You cannot just give questions to Gryffindors, I think angrily.

"I don't know, sir," miss Brown answers.

Lupin looks at me curiously. "Mister Malfoy, do you know the answer?"

"Laughter, sir," I say a bit louder than I meant to.

Lupin looks at me with a raised eyebrow. "Indeed, mister Malfoy. Ten points to Slytherin." He then looks through the whole class. "Everyone take your wand and say after me: Ridiculus."

"Ridiculus," we echo.

Lupin smiles. "Very good. I want everyone to line up and to think about their worst fear. When you encounter the boggart, you will try to think of something funny and say ridiculus, then the next student will try." Everyone lines up, just like we were ordered to. Most Gryffindors seem excited to find out what their boggarts shape into. I am not sure if I want all these student to find out what I fear most. I do not even know what it would turn into. Theo stays with me behind in class. He then looks searchingly through the class, his eyes then fall on Longbottom. "Mister Longbottom, why don't you.."

Professor Snape then smoothly cuts in. He is looking with contempt to professor Lupin. "I wouldn't use mister Longbottom as an example. He'll probably set the classroom on fire."

Professor Lupin looks mildly irritated. "Thank you, professor Snape, for your advice, but I am sure that mister Longbottom will perform just admirably. If you'll come to the front."

Professor Snape then scowls and walks away. Longbottom walks to the front, albeit slightly reluctantly.

Professor Lupin looks kindly at him. "Do you know what you fear most?" Longbottom mumbles an answer that nobody quite got. "I'm sorry I did not get that. Can you speak up a bit?"

Longbottom reddens. "Professor Snape, sir."

Severus really is quite terrible to Longbottom, I realise then yet again. How come it is so easy to ignore and to forget how awful the people you care about can be?

Professor Lupin looks a bit contemplative and then smiles. "Doesn't your grandmother wear those old-fashioned hats?" He then asks.

Longbottom looks awfully confused. "I don't want professor Snape to turn into my grandmother either, sir."

Professor Lupin chuckles and bows down to whisper some words into Longbottom's ear. "Ready?"

Longbottom looks like he is going to say no, but Lupin already swishes his wand. Out of the closet comes professor Snape. He looks contemptuous at everyone. I feel strangely hurt, seeing him look at me like that for a second, even though this is not Severus. It is merely a boggart. Well, this is how everyone outside of Slytherin sees Severus, isn't it? This is how he wants people to see him.

Longbottom whimpers, then strangely determined the raises his wand and closes his eyes in concentration. "Ri- Ridiculus!" He shouts.

Oh, well Severus will definitely not be amused. He did not take well to these sort of things. He only took well to jokes from well, me and my mother.

I snort. Maybe this was a little funny. I mean, this was definitely Severus own fault. He acted so horrible to students as a teacher, it was no wonder Longbottom was scared of him.

I carefully soak it in. Severus wearing Longbottom's grandmother's clothes. O god, he even had a vulture on his head. I stifle my laughter, unlike the Gryffindors, who are loudly laughing and cheer on Longbottom."

"Excellent, mister Longbottom," Lupin proudly states, "Twenty points to Gryffindor. Come on, why doesn't the next in line give it a try?"

Crack. It turns into a banshee. Seamus puts a step back. "Ridiculus." The banshee looks ready to start screaming. I put my hands on my ears. No sounds comes. I laugh relieved.

Patil is up next. Crack. It turns into a giant cobra. "Ridiculus," she sounds fairly confident. Now its a jack-in-the-box.

Dean Thomas steps up forward. Crack.. It is a disembodied hand with a pencil in it. He looks shocked at it. The pencil falls on the ground. The hands looks kind of dead. He seems to snap out of it. "Ridiculus!" The hand is trapped in mousetrap.

Mostly Gryffindors give it a try, but Potter and his friends seem to be near the end of the line too.

Pansy is up. Crack! In front of Pansy stands a girl strangely alike to her. Pug-nosed. Fat. Horrible hair. Looking like she just smelled some dragon dung. She looks horrified. I heard her talking about how it would probably turn into some hippogriff and how they were terrible creatures and mumble something about how Hagrid should have never become a teacher.

Then I hear Weasley joke to Potter. "Well, I can't see the difference between them, can you?" I want to hex them, but my eyes are glued to Pansy. Come on, Panse, you can do it.

I hear Harry warily react to Weasley. "That's a bit harsh, Ron."

Professor Lupin seems to hesitate if he has to step in. "You can do it, miss Parkinson," he softly encourages. "The incantation is ridiculus."

She looks ready to cry. Why is Lupin just waiting there? Then before I can do something like jump before her to make the boggart change, she raises her wand. "Ridiculous," she says softly. I stare at her. She looks great. I can barely look away.

Crack! Daphne walked up. I hear Lupin kindly say to her. "Very impressive, miss Parkinson. Turning it into a veela, was very smart of you." Maybe Lupin was not so bad.

I walk up to Pansy and give her a hug. She sniffles a bit. "I didn't see a difference between you and the veela," I say confidently to her. She blushes.

We look at Daphne. She is looking strangely at the puking women before her. Then the women looks up to her, no eyes, with a heart in her hand, covered in blood. She looks disgusted. "Ridiculus," she says. It turns into a juggler.

Crack! Brown is up. She is faced with a grim. Then it shrinks, becoming a cute puppy chasing its tail. I laugh. I realise I want to have a go, just not necessarily with people around.

Greg's turn. Crack. A beheaded buckbeak. Ridiculus- then buckbeak is engorged in eating meat. Gross.

Vin's up. Crack. God no- Ginny. She's writing in the diary again. Her eyes look vacant. The book falls down. Her body goes slack. Vin tries to take her hand.

"Miss Weasley is fine, mister Crabbe," Lupin reminds him.

Vin still looks shaken up. "Ridiculous." The bleeding diary appears. Not exactly funny- but not scary either.

Ron's turn. Crack! A giant spider. Ridiculus! It is tripping over roller skates.

Then Potter steps up. I feel curious. Would it turn into Voldemort? Now professor Lupin steps in. Crack! A silver glowing orb. "Ridiculus," he says lazily. It turns into a deflating balloon. As the air escapes it makes a fartlike noise, making everybody laugh. He forces the boggart back into the closet.

"Ten point to everyone who has faced the boggart," Lupin says. "You've done very well." He ends classes. I somehow feel I need to face the boggart. On my own. I don't want anyone to see. What if I hesitate?

I decide to sneak out. Maybe Ginny will go with me, I decide. She is not one to chicken out. I look at Greg, who is waiting for me. We head to the library.


	28. Chapter 28 Hagrid

_Hagrid_

Books are covering the table. To be honest Hagrid's choices seem to be a bit bleak. Looking at the cases of magical creatures endangering wizards and witches, there was a high rate of mortality for the animals. The few cases they decided not to kill of the beast, it usually was a very rare magical creature on the point of extinction. If Zacharias Smith's father decided he wanted the hippogriff beheaded, it would not stand a chance, that much was very clear to me.

Greg has not yet reached that same conclusion. I remember his boggart. I really should help him with this. He is my friend and obviously thinks this is very important.

I close the book on law cases covering dangerous magical creatures. I sigh. Maybe there is some other way to help Greg. I look at him. He is yawning. Would he be angry if I suggested to stop reading about cases for today?

Well, not if I used the right words. I push back the reluctance. "If we want to cheer up Hagrid we might need to head over, maybe we can get him to join dinner."

Greg smiles. "See, you can be nice."

I feel offended. "I am almost always nice."

"Thanks," Greg says, "For caring. I know you still think Hagrid is crap and Buckbeak is horrible and gross."

I frown. I could not exactly tell Greg he was wrong.

Greg continues talking. "Almost every Slytherin was demeaning to Hagrid. Pansy actually visited Smith in the hospital. You don't like magical creatures, I know that.."

"Hey," I joke lightly, "I like owls."

"Owls are not hippogriffs," Greg says, "You still support me. Even though you don't agree with me. Almost no one in Slytherin agrees with me. You're own parents would never agree with this. Still, you are here reading all those boring law books for hours."

A few minutes we sit there in silence.

"Look," I then blurt out, feeling like I had somehow failed Greg, "You read all these cases too. Even with the most incredible defence, it won't save Buckbeak. And Hagrid will be fine. Dumbledore will make sure Hagrid will be able to stay teaching."

I am almost sure he'll get mad at me. "I know," Greg then silently answers. "Still, it might help Hagrid."

I just nod. "Maybe we'll think of something else, I just feel there is nothing to gain from reading these cases."

Greg shrugs. "Maybe." He seems unconvinced and looks a bit brooding.

I slyly smile at him. "We can always free Buckbeak."

"Hagrid would get into trouble," Greg answers. "Besides you'd have to get near the hippogriff to free him. We both know you won't come near Buckbeak, if you have any say in it."

Greg then stands up. "Coming?"

I nod and we quickly put back all the library books. We are heading to Hagrid. Greg is knocking at the door. "Who is it?" Hagrid's voice calls.

Greg answers. Good thing too, I would not have known what to say. "It's me Greg. And I've got Draco with me."

The door swings open. Hagrid's eyes are red. He looks at me a little unbelievingly. "It's nice of ya ta come an visit me, Gregory." I clearly see it in his eyes: distrust, confusion of why I am here.

I swallow my pride. "I'm sorry to hear about the case against you and Buckbeak."

Hagrid looks surprised.

Greg smiles at me. "Yeah, we're sorry Hagrid. We wanted to help you with your case. We were reading books in the library almost all day."

Hagrid looks really touched. "That is really nice of ya two. Thank you." He then seems to remember we are awkwardly standing in front of his wooden house. "Why don't ya two come in? I'll make ya a cuppa tea."

Hagrid walks inside and puts a kettle on the fire. Greg walks inside. Hesitating, I follow him and sit down on a chair. Hagrid's house is really small.

Kevin, the bow truckle, than jumps out from Greg's robes, looking angrily at Hagrid. The little guy started pinching Hagrid menacingly, who looked just as shocked as Greg did. I am immensely enjoying myself. The sight of the half-giant being terrorised by the small bowtruckle, was just really funny.

I smirk. "I think Kevin doesn't want you to mope around, Hagrid."

Hagrid then smiles weakly and puts down cups of tea for the three of us. "How is the small fella?" Hagrid asks Greg. "Good," Greg answers.

Hagrid and Greg then start talking about magical creatures. I listen absently to them and do not contribute much, I really was not such a good conversationalist on magical creatures.

Luckily it is not too long before dinner comes around. Greg and I head down towards the great hall, but walk into Harry, Weasley and Granger on the grounds. Granger walks towards me angrily.

She looks exceedingly tired. Her eyes are red. Her wand is pointing to me. "You, arse! You came from Hagrid. Did you come to laugh at him too? You don't care don't you? Buckbeak will be slaughtered for it, an innocent creature! You think that's funny don't you?"

I take a few steps back. "You don't know what I think is funny and what is not, Granger," I answer warily. She hits me. I stumble back and look at a shocked Greg. Potter and Weasley are both looking at Granger like she was absolutely brilliant. Well, if that is how you are going to be Potter just call me Harry.

Embarrassed I run away with Greg.

When we come to the great hall, my cheek has become quite red, attracting quite some attention. I plop down next to Ginny. Pansy keeps shooting me curious looks.

Ginny does not seem to hold back her curiosity. "What the hell happened to your face, Draco?"

I flush. I would not tell with so many people listening in. I lean into her. "I'll tell you. Tonight. We sneak into Lupin's classroom and fight a boggart." I whisper into her ear.

Ginny blushes. "Why would you want to do that?"

I smirk. "Scared, Gin?

She scoffs. "Of course not. Please tell me you are not heart-broken and now have a death wish."

"Please," I say. "Like I would get turned down."

Ginny smirks. "If you hadn't noticed yet. You have quite the mark on your face. Why else would you get that."

"I'll tell you tonight," I hiss.

She smiles amused. "Why?"

"I did not get time to practice during class," I answer.

She snorts. "We're sneaking out, breaking a hundred rules, just to practice some defence? Can't you just ask professor Lupin? I'm sure he'd let you try."

I hesitate. "I have my reservations.."

"I guess so," Ginny says, "At least you've got guts, Draco, I like that."


	29. Chapter 29 Boggart

_The boggart_

I feel strangely nervous when Ginny and I sneak out the common room after curfew. "Nervous?" I ask.

She scowls. "You wish." Silently we sneak upstairs. My mind keeps playing all these pictures of what my boggart could turn into. Maybe it would be a basilisk or some sort of dangerous magical creature.

I glance at Ginny. I remember how shaken she was after the dementors. Maybe I should not have asked her to come. I could have just asked Pansy. Maybe I should let us get caught by a teacher, that way, I would not have to find out how Ginny would deal with her boggart. I glance at her. She is gritting her teeth a bit and is looking determined.

I remember the letter she wrote me over the summer. Maybe she will be just fine.

Well, it is a bit late to get caught now. We stand in front of the classroom. I hesitate, Ginny however does not, with a swift alohomora she opens the door and we walk into the dark classroom.

"Lumos," I whisper softly. Ginny closes the door carefully and then looks expectantly at me. "You do know what a boggart is, right?"

Ginny nods.

I take a step closer to her. "You know how you defeat a boggart?"

Ginny looks defiantly, like she wants to say: don't you dare tell me I'm too young. "No, I don't. I am not a third year after all. Remember, we do not share the same classes."

I smile. "Well, luckily for you, I just happened to have a class on them."

"No, you did not," she says faintly smiling.

I chuckle. "I did. Boggart are shape-shifters," I say in my best Hermione imitation. I am after all lecturing Ginny on boggarts. "They like to hide in dark spaces or more exactly this old wardrobe. They feed off emotions and change into what a person fears most." I feel myself grow calmer. "To defeat a boggart you must turn it into something funny. A boggart can't stand laughter."

Ginny snorts. "That's enough, Draco."

I then continue with a normal voice. "Fine, the incantation is ridiculus. You need to envision how you make your worst fear funny."

Ginny swallows. "So what will your boggart turn into? Please tell me it's not a puffskein."

"Very funny," I say. Silence falls upon us. "I'm not sure. It might be a puffskein."

Ginny looks at me hesitantly. "Was Harry's boggart- Did he have you-know-who as a boggart?" Ginny blushes deeply.

"I don't know," I answer. "Lupin ended classes before Potter could defeat it."

I look at the wardrobe. We should probably just go ahead and try, we could always just, oh, I had not told her yet, did I? "Hey Gin, if one of us is failing to beat the boggart, you know, we can always confuse it. If we don't fear the exact same thing the most, it won't know what to turn into and might change halve into a puffskein and halve into whatever you fear," I half-joke.

Ginny eyes bore into me. "You don't have to tiptoe around it. I know it will probably turn into Tom. As do you."

"You don't have to face him," I say awkwardly.

Ginny gets a bit red-faced. "Why did you even ask me if you do not even think I should face that boggart?"

"Look, I'm sorry," I hastily say, "I just did not want to push you to face him."

Ginny gives me a pointed look. "I wouldn't have come if I had not wanted to. I would not have cared about you calling me a coward."

"Still," I say, "I pushed you."

She snorts. "Please, I could have always threatened you with my bat-bogey hex.." She then grows more serious. "I have to face him, Draco. Don't you understand? I can't keep having nightmares every evening."

I stare at her. "I.. Why didn't you tell me?"

She looks away. "I'm fine Draco." It is clear she does not want me to question her.

"So," I then ask, "Are you going to change Tom into halve a puffskein?"

Ginny smiles. "Maybe. I feel bad for the puffskein though.."

I breathe in deeply than with a jerk of my wand the wardrobe opens and the boggart comes out. Crack! My father is towering over us. His grey eyes sink deeply into my skin. I swallow. "You are a disgrace, Draco," father sneers. "You are a disappointment. I would have thought you'd be ashamed a mudblood would beat you in all of your classes." The words hurt, just as much as they did the first time. Crack! Now my mother looks at me. "You humiliate me, Draco, you do not deserve to bear your last name. I wish I never got you." Crack! Now it's Severus. He glares coldly at me. "You dunderhead! I cannot believe I thought you any better than the idiots I am used to teaching." Crack! Now it's Pansy. "You disgust me Draco," she sneers. "Potter got on the team on pure talent. You are so pathetic, buying your way on the team. I wish you were more like Potter."

Now I am looking at Ginny. "I wish you were more like Potter," she spats at me. "You are nothing compared to him. You are a coward."

I feel someone hit the back of my head. "You should know I don't think about you like that," Ginny then blurts out. "I don't think you are crap."

I snort. Thanks, Gin, I needed that. I close my eyes, letting the cruel words from the boggart wash over me. "Ridiculus," I say. When I open my eyes Ginny smiles at me. "You're not too bad for a Malfoy."

I smile. "Hey," Ginny protests, " I give better compliments than that."

"I hate it when you give someone a genuine compliment on their moustache and suddenly she's not my friend anymore." Boggart-Ginny than says.

Ginny snorts. I laugh and step back gesturing for Ginny to step forward.

Crack! It's Tom Riddle. He smiles at Ginny. I feel disturbed. I want to step in, but I can't, Ginny would not want me too. So I watch as he smiles down at her. "I can tell everyone all your secrets," Riddle whispers, " I would know them, you told me yourself, I am your best friend."

Ginny steps back. Looks him defiantly in the eye. "You're not my friend," she whispers. "Ridiculus."

I guess she remembered us joking before. I snort, looking at the strange combination of Riddle and the puffskein.


	30. Chapter 30 A reason to celebrate

_Common room_

We had made it back to the common room in no time. We did not say anything on our way. The common room was empty when we arrived. Now I felt as though I had to say something to Ginny. "Hey," I say.

Ginny chuckles. "Hey you."

It really was quite late, we should probably both head to bed. "We should celebrate," I blurt out, for some reason I do not want this night to end just now.

"It's kinda late," Ginny says. She yawns and stretches lazily.

I have to yawn too. "Still," I say, "We beat our boggarts. It felt like a big thing somehow, like I.. Well, I did not want to face it in class. I stood at the back. And now I did face it. And you did too." I breathe in deeply. I felt nervous. "We should celebrate."

Ginny stares at me for a few seconds. "Well, it's better than standing here in the common room. What do you propose?"

I smile relieved. I did not like rejection. "Let's find the kitchens."

Ginny groans. "You'll get us caught!"

I just shrug. Somehow I felt nearly invincible. I walk out the common room, Ginny follows me. "Do you even know where to find the kitchens?" I confidently stride forward. Yes Ginny, as a matter of fact, I did and I felt very daring at the moment. "You haven't drank an insanity potion, have you?"

I chuckle. "A little trust, Ginny," I chide. My father had told me where the kitchens were after he'd blurted out a story of how he had sneaked in with my mother after midnight. The last years I had not done a lot sneaking around, barring that time in first-year when I had tried to get Potter and his friend caught when they sneaked out this dragon Hagrid somehow got. Maybe I should ask him sometimes what that was all about. Honestly, even Hagrid could not possibly think it was a good idea to raise a dragon in a wooden house? It was illegal. I shudder remembering the detention we'd gotten afterwards. How I wished I had not sneaked out. First years were not even allowed in the forbidden forest. And to think an unicorn was attacked! Who would be so desperate to do something like that?

"Draco," Ginny then tiredly says. "Seriously, are we headed for the kitchens?"

I was a bit distracted. Perfect timing though to ask me now. I smirk at her. "You could not have been patient for a second longer, couldn't you?" I walk towards the painting, I hope father was serious when he told me to tickle the pear. The pear giggles, sort of and the portrait swings open.

There are only a few house elf in the kitchen bustling around. On one of them my eyes fall. "Dobby," I blurt out, "What are you doing here?" I had not suspected to see my old house elf here.

Dobby looks at me with his big tennis ball-like eyes. He looks utterly shocked. A bit reluctantly he comes towards us. "Young Masters Draco and his friend should not be sneaking around Hogwarts at night. Yous should be in bed sleeping." The other house elf looked excited to be able to help us and Dobby looked a bit abashed for a second and then smiles hesitantly. "What can I get the young masters?"

Ginny answers for us. "Dobby, could you get us some butterbeers please. If it's not too much trouble." She smiles kindly at the house elf. "And some treacle tart, we've got something to celebrate.." She gives me a slightly curious look.

Dobby looks for a moment at a loss of words, then he smiles broadly.

I feel somehow Ginny would mind me being rude to the house elfs, just like my parents would mind me grovelling to some house elf and saying something like please to it. I sigh.

Dobby then says "Dobby will get anything missus wants if she asks."

With a snap of bobby's fingers two butter beers and two pieces of treacle tart appear on the small table. Ginny smiles thankfully, but before she can say something I quickly cut her off. "Thanks Dobby, Ginny and I appreciate it."

Dobby again looks shocked. "Young master Draco told Dobby thank you." Dobby sounds amazed. "Young master Draco is growing up to become a better man than his father. Dobby will happily serve you."

I feel a bit lost for words. I only thanked it, didn't I? Ginny smiles at me and sits down, takes a sip of the butterbeer and sighs appreciatingly. "How come we never have butter beer at Hogwarts?"

I shrug. No idea.

"You were right, celebrations are in order," Ginny says happily. "Well done on beating your boggart, Draco."

I smile. "You as well, Ginny. Next time that Tom dares to interrupt your dreams, just think of a puffskein."

Ginny snorts. "Well, next time you think you're worthless, just remember the awesome compliments I have given you."

"I don't believe you are crap is your idea of an awesome compliment?" I say incredulously.

Ginny takes a bite of her treacle tart. "Hey, I don't dish out compliments to just anyone. To me that was like a romantic love letter."

"A love letter, hmm.." I tease her. "Well, maybe your love letters are improving. It is better than your eyes are as green as a fresh-pickled toad."

"Oh shut up." Ginny blushes. "That was a long time ago."


	31. Chapter 31 Field trip

_Field trip_

"Draco, good to see at least your still punctual as ever," Severus drawls as I walk into the potions classroom. Oh no, what did I do. "Though you seem to have forgotten Hogwarts students are to keep to the curfew."

I flush. How did he know?

He looks at me pointedly. "You were not as stealthy as you thought, Draco. I did not know you knew where the kitchens were. I hope you didn't give the Hogwarts' elves too much trouble?"

I smile hesitantly. "Dobby was pleased to see me, I think," I say. Well, that was definitely true. Strange elf. "So, you said we'd have some field trip to teach me about muggles?"

Severus scowls. "Not so quick. You are not above the rules. I did not wish Slytherin to loose house points, I do not however accept you to think rules do not apply to you. I have changed our field trip for today a bit. It will still be interesting, but now it will require a bit more labor.."

I nod. "So, where are we going?" I ask quietly.

"The place I grew up," he mutters. He does not sound very reminiscent. He walks with long passes to the floo and then looks at me expectantly. He takes some floo powder in his hands and lets it fall. "Spinner's End," he says slowly. Green flames light up.

Well, I can't really imagine what kind of place Severus would grow up. He never really told me. All stories he told were mostly about his time at Hogwarts.

I walk up into the floo, with some floo powder clenched in my hand. Only one way to find out. "Spinner's End."

I look around. It was dark in the house. I squint my eyes trying to see the house clearer. Severus snorts. "Maybe you should try to turn on the light."

I blush and nod determinately. I take my wand. "Lumos."

Severus gives me a confused look. "Nox," He says. He gives me a look that clearly tells me he did not want me to use my wand. Of course, muggles and stuff. He then disarms me. He looks thoroughly amused. "Now, turn on the light without a wand." Severus comfortably leans against the wall.

Maybe being taught muggle studies by Severus was not such a good idea. I feel incredibly stupid. "If you'd give me a wand I could accio some candles and some fire?"

Severus guffaws. "You think I'd let you accio fire?"

I feel frustrated.

Severus looks slightly baffled. "Surely you'd not think accioing a fire would be a good idea?" Well, when he says it like that. "You could possibly start a forest fire.. People could see fire being levitated.. You could put furniture in my house on fire.. Beside this is not the middle ages, certainly you know.." Severus stops. His face softens, seeing my abashed face. "Muggles do not use candles. They barely produce light. I have lamps in my house, Draco." With his hands he lightly taps this button on the wall. Immediately the room is illuminated. I see a lot of stuff that I quite can't recognise. "You just turn the switch, that is all."

I nod dejectedly.

Severus still looks a bit baffled. "Well, this will be somewhat more challenging than I had anticipated, of course, I could have known Narcissa and Lucius did not teach you much about muggles. Still, I had forgotten how ignorent wizards can be." I feel my cheeks flush a bit. "No matter. I guess we'll just have more to discuss. So Draco, how come there is light when there is no fire?"

I look at it in wonder. The only word coming to my mind is magic, still that can't be right.

Severus sighs teasingly. "Electricity, Draco."

I am sure I have never heard of that word. "Eleklicity?" I blurt out, confusedly.

Severus smiles amusedly. "Electricity, Draco. This actually is a very important thing if you want to understand how most muggle things work. Of course, it is not strange wizards and witches do not know much about it, since electricity doesn't work around too much magic."

I nod determinately.

Severus looks reminiscent. "You know, Anna, well, for you it's professor Vector now, since you are taking arithmancy, always feels there is a lot to learn from muggles. Unfortunately in my youth I was always very focussed on the magical world and not very much interested in more mundane, muggle things."

It felt strange that Severus called something as strange as the muggle world mundane. I realised I did not know how a lot of things worked if it was not by magic.

Severus smiles. "I have even though of studying chemistry, to see, if it would help me in potions."

I feel thoroughly confused. Somehow I had not thought the muggle world could leave me so baffled.

Severus looked thoughtful. "Electricity is a flow of charge." He frowns. "Well, that didn't clear things up for you, didn't it?" I shake my head reluctantly. "Well, I guess we'd need to dive into the building blocks of atoms." He sighs and looks like he's starting to get a bit of an headache. "Sweet Merlin, Draco. Alright. Matter is anything that occupies space and has mass. Matter exists in three states. Solid, like the bricks that make up this house. Liquid, like water. And gaseous, like the air you breathe. Matter in turn is build up from elements. Elements can not be broken down into simpler substances by ordinary chemical methods, which is like the muggle equivalent of potions. Sort of.." He nods, looking pleased with his explanation. "There are 118 elements recognized, 92 occur in nature, others are artificially made in particle generators. And no, I do not know how those work. Though I might ask Anna sometimes. Each element is composed of identical particles or building blocks called atoms. Atoms have subatomic particles, called electrons, protons and neutrons."

I had no idea muggle studies would be so absurd. "Sir, obviously that is ridiculous. I mean. If you look at sand, sure I could understand how they'd think that's made up of those atoms, that looks like it's made up of small building blocks, but surely water can't be. It is smooth."

Severus snorts. "We are talking about extremely small building blocks, Draco. Trust me, you would not be able to see such a particle with your blind eyes."

I nod confusedly.

Severus remains patient. Somehow I can't help but wonder how cool potion classes would be if he always was like this. At least I got to get to know Severus like this, for that I was happy.


	32. Chapter 32 The ugly and the good

"Mister Malfoy," professor Lupin then says at the end of one of his classes, "If you would please stay back after class with me."

I look at him confused. What did I do?

Lupin then calmly continues. "For next lesson I want you write down an essay about grindylows and to read the introductory text about Hinkypunks."

Pansy shoots me a questioning look as she walks past me out of the classroom.

Lupin is studying my face carefully. "Tea?"

I feel baffled. "I- Wha?"

Lupin sits down on the opposite side of the table and looks very seriously at me. "I know you are very close with Severus. I also know Severus is not very fond of me. I also noticed you have been reluctant to participate in class and you try to- err, well, you seem not to want me to teach here." Lupin keeps silent for a few seconds. "I just wanted to know if there were things about me- or well, my affliction, that caused you to be upset in my classes."

I am not sure what to answer. He put it very lightly when he said Severus was not fond of Lupin. Severus seemed to hate Lupin even more than Potter and that is saying something. The tired-looking teacher before me hardly seemed dangerous, but obviously looks could be deceiving. He dealt with the dementors and grudgingly I had to admit he was the best teacher we ever had for defence.

He was right, I realised. I had been stubbornly uninterested in classes.

I look at his shabby clothes. I take my time to think this answer over, cause you can't always take words back. My father could have easily abhorred the man for how he looked. Severus, however, always liked talent in people. Severus was not well-liked, he would have hardly cared. Something about Lupin was not good.

I glare at Lupin. "How can I trust someone like you?" I try my hardest to sneer as hard as I can in disgust. Would this man really let a mass-murderer in? Severus had seemed so sure. Could this be Black's right-hand?

Lupin's face hardens. "I see."

"I don't want to be in the same classroom as you," I say. It sounded more hateful than I had meant. I was not quite sure what I thought about Lupin.

Lupin hardly looks like he blames me for it. I see acceptance in his eyes. "You'll still have to come to my classes," he reminds almost gently.

I shrug.

Lupin sighs. "I still expect an assay from you."

"Whatever," I say. I want to walk out of the classroom, just before I step into the corridor, Lupin speaks up.

"Twenty points to both you and miss Weasley for facing your boggarts," he says. I look embarrassed at him. "I do know what happens in my classroom, mister Malfoy. It is good to see that at least if you don't participate in classes, you do take your studies seriously." Embarrassed I storm out of the classroom.

I run into Pansy. I had not spoken a lot to her the last few days. "Draco," she shrieks in shock. She hits me softly. "What did Lupin want with you?"

I feel angry. He shouldn't have seen it. It was a private moment.

"I can't believe they let an idiot like Lupin teach," I blurt out annoyed. I ignore the small voice that tells me he is the best defence teacher we ever had. "Have you seen how shabby he looked, like he transformed his robes just out of the bin."

At that precise moment Potter, Weasley and Granger had to walk past. Potter argues softly, "Professor Lupin is the best teacher we ever had, I don't know what you're talking about.." He looks a bit warily.

I look at them. How dare Potter call Lupin the best teacher we ever had? He should hate him. He should not even respect the man who was friends with Black. I flush when I look at Granger. How dare she hit me.

"Well, even Granger," I start, "Should prefer Lockhart to him. At least he knew how to dress." I smirk as I see Hermoine flush brightly. "You liked him didn't you?" I sneer. "I think you'd make a perfect fit. A stupid know-it-all and a blubbering idiot who doesn't remember a thing."

Pansy laughs. "Oh Draco, that's so funny." I blush. She then pulls me away before anyone can retaliate. She keeps pulling me till we're standing outside on the grounds.

She looks confusedly at me. "Not that I am not amused, but why are you trying to get into a fight with them?"

I glare at her.

She rolls her eyes. "Fine, don't tell me. Try and beat me in quidditch."

I didn't beat her in quidditch. She catched the snitch for the third time before me and looked completely at ease in the air.

She looked amazing. I stared at her.

I feel my throat go dry. "You should try out for quidditch. You should be seeker."

She laughs looking completely care-free for a moment. "Don't be silly," Pansy says. "We already have a seeker for Slytherin. Plus I think he is quite magnificent."

I smile. "I don't think he'd mind it. He could always try out for chaser."

Pansy looks a bit touched. "Mother wouldn't like me playing Quidditch."

"I do like looking at you play quidditch," I then say playfully. I know I won't push her on the subject. She is right, Persephone won't like her playing quidditch.

Pansy smirks. "Well, maybe if you hadn't been staring so much at me, you'd caught the snitch at least once.."

I blush. "I wasn't staring," I mumble.

Pansy smirked. "You weren't staring?" She flutters her eyes at me. Her hair looks wild after flying for a few hours.

She stands really close to me. I start to feel panicky. I am not sure what to say. "I think we missed dinner." I blurt out, no longer able to keep the silence lingering between us.

Pansy takes a step closer to me. "Maybe we could find the kitchen just the two of us?"

"Luckily for you," I then say, "I just happen to know where to find the kitchens."

Wow, I think, that piece of information from dad of where the kitchens are is really coming in handy.

Pansy gives me a light shove. "You found the kitchens and you didn't tell me?"

Maybe I really shouldn't tell her I actually already went there with Ginny. Nope, definitely not something I should tell her. "I was waiting for the right moment to take you there," I try to say as smoothly as I could.

Pansy happily latches onto me. "Well, lead the way." I feel my cheeks flush again. I feel strangely happy.


	33. Chapter 33 Pansy

_Kitchens_

With Pansy on my arms I walk towards the kitchen and tickle the pear in the painting. To my pleasure Pansy seems more than impressed. "This is brilliant, Draco," Pansy squeals. Her eyes light up in excitement. "We could go to the kitchens at night for some hot tea and some treacle tart or something. Would that not be great?" I can't help but feel Pansy looks very pretty at that moment. It makes me want to kiss her.

Then the house elves start buzzing around us, ready to help us, but I can already make Dobby's form out. "Can Dobby do anything for his old little master and his friend?"

I smile, that house elf never liked me much, but I guess things changed. "Yes, thanks, Dobby. What do you like, Panse?" I look shyly at her.

She smiles brightly. "Some treacle tart and tea would be nice, Dobby.."

Dobby reacts delighted. "OHH, missus Parkinson is so polite to Dobby. Dobby is so happy to serve his old friends at Hogwarts. Never before has Dobby been treated so well by his old masters." Dobby then flicks a tear away. Pansy looks absolutely stunned. "You like vanilla tea right? With just a little pinch of caramel.. Dobby never forgets his old masters wishes. Dobby was a good house elf."

"Yeah, that would be nice," Pansy then softly says, as if she is not quite sure what to do with the grateful house elf.

Draco smiles at the excited house elf. Maybe he should treat the house elves at home a little better, maybe father would even follow his lead. He had seemed different last time he saw him. "You were a good house elf, Dobby," I then say softly. "I'd like the same as Pansy."

We sit down at the small little table, but all the busy house elves flitting around make me nervous and uncomfortable. Maybe the kitchen was not a great place if you wanted a little bit of privacy. "We could take a walk by the lake," I then say.

Pansy smiles shyly. "I'd like that very much."

We were walking near the lake and have just settled down sitting with our back to a large willow tree and our shoulders gently rest against each other. "I've missed this," Draco then says. "I mean, we haven't been talking a lot lately."

"We haven't," Pansy agrees. "This is nice though. You did not seem surprised Dobby worked in the kitchens here at Hogwarts."

I hesitate. "Well, I couldn't look stupid in front of you, could I? I had to check if it would work."

"You wouldn't have looked stupid to me," Pansy says softly.

"Sure I would," I scoffed. "Seeing Dobby though is nice, isn't it? He seems happy."

"You really had the weirdest house elf," Pansy says shaking her head. "Did you see him wearing socks?"

I chuckle. I did notice the colourful socks on his tiny feet. "Apparently Dumbledore pays him."

"Really?" Pansy sounds amazed. "I never really thought about house elves having a real range of emotion, you know? It seemed to mean a lot to Dobby though to be kind to him."

I nod. "I though his eyes would bulge out of their sockets when I said please to him. I blurted it out by pure accident the first time."

Pansy rests her head on my shoulder. "Sorry for being preoccupied with gossiping with Daphne for the latter part of the summer. I know you don't like it."

I smile. "You should know you don't have to put others down to feel better. You are already the prettiest girl I know."

Pansy kissed me. It was short. She then softly hugged me, leaning her head on my thorax.

"I told Cho Chang she looked like a pointy needle," Pansy admits.

I frown. "What kind of insult is that?' Pansy shrugs. "Was it about DADA?" Pansy shrugs again, looking to the lake, seemingly unable to meet my eye. "You don't look like that. You never did. Forget your mother, just listen to me: you are pretty."

Pansy looks briefly at me, smiles a little and kisses me a few times softly. Still, something gives me the feeling she does not really believe me.

Then Pansy changes the subject. "So, do you know what your boggart would turn into?" As a matter in fact, I knew exactly what my boggart turned into. I felt heat flood my cheeks. "Come on, I won't laugh at you. Besides you know mine."

Pansy softly grabbed my hand and leaned back into the tree, but our shoulders still softly touched.

"Okay," I answer. "You know how my family can be kind of demanding.." Pansy rolls her eyes. "I am not some sort of god. People definitely don't fall at my feet ready to worship me." Pansy snorts. "I am just Draco, not the Malfoy heir everyone expects me to be. Even when I'm doing well, it just seems to be not good enough."

Pansy looks fiercely at me. "I think you're more than enough."

I shouldn't have felt surprised. "Well," I say after the surprise tears away. "I think you are more than stunning enough to seduce any guy at Hogwarts."

Pansy smiles. "Even you?"

"Especially me," I say, smiling back.

Pansy hesitates. "So we are doing this?"

"This?" I ask teasingly.

"Dating," Pansy shyly clarifies.

I smile at the hesitant tone. "Pansy, can I take you to the upcoming trip to hogsmead?"

Pansy smiles relieved. "You'd better, prat."

"Good." I answer with a smirk.


	34. Chapter 34 Hogsmead

I felt nervous as the Hogsmead trip was coming up. It was still early, but I was making my way towards the quidditch pitch to fly some laps. I had trouble sleeping. I ran into a tired-looking Granger, who was in an avid fight with Weasley. Weasley immediately trained his wand on me. Honestly, I thought, there was no way I would look like an idiot on my first date with Pansy. I would not get in a fight, I told myself and tried to walk past them, but Weasley grabbed my arm. "Apologise to Hermoine," he said.

I felt annoyed. "Well, if anyone here has to apologise it is not me," I sneer. "As far as I can tell by your extremely loud and frequent fighting from the past days, as if the whole castle has to know that the golden trio is falling apart-"

Weasley looked angrily at me. "We are not fighting."

I give them a disbelieving look. "Really? You've been screaming murder at each other and Granger's pitiful whines have filled the library the past days. Honestly, some try to study there." Granger flushes and looks uncomfortable.

"I-" Weasley sounds stunned. "Surely, I didn't make Hermione cry that often.."

Granger is strangely silent.

"Surely it occurred to you that your best friend might have feelings like other people, even your brain should be able to comprehend such a concept." I sneer. Pathetic. Honestly, why would you ever want to be friends with that red-headed menace?

"She killed my rat," Weasley then accused her.

Why does he drag me into their fight, I think exhausted, at least it distracts me from feeling nervous. Just don't get into a fight. "Honestly, even Granger would not sink as low as to kill someones pet.." I roll my eyes.

Weasley's eyes narrow. "No, her cat killed my rat."

"Well," I say, "Her cat then has a proper hunting instinct." Weasley looks ready to get back in a fight with Granger. "Pathetic," I sneer, "You're fighting about that.. I thought you were something akin to friends."

Granger looks hurt at Weasley and then storms towards the grounds. I look awkwardly at Weasley then walk out the door towards the grounds. "Seriously, You are going after Granger now? What would your father say!" Weasley screams after me. To be honest I had no such plan as to go after Granger, but his words tempted me. I only had wanted to take a fly, what had I gotten myself into. I almost walked into her again. "Y-you'd go after me?" She asks with a trembling lower lip.

"My father," I say with a slight sneer. "Always taught me to treat women with respect."

It is silent for a while.

"I am sorry your friend is being a major dunderhead," I say awkwardly.

Granger chuckles softly.

I am not quite sure what I am supposed to do now. "If you want you can fly on my broom. It always helps me cheer up and clear my mind," I blurt out.

Granger looks surprised. "I'm not fond of flying. But thanks."

It is silent for a moment. "I am sorry for hitting you," Granger then blurted out. "Hagrid told me you even tried to help his case, I just didn't expect.." Ashamed she looks at the ground.

I feel unable to get mad at the crying girl in front of me. "It's okay.."

"Did you find anything to help Hagrid with his case?" She looks at me hopefully.

I meet her eyes. "You shouldn't waste your time. If MacMillan wants Buckbeak beheaded he'll get his wish. Dumbledore will stand up for Hagrid. He'll be fine."

She looks hurt. "Still, there must be something we can do."

"Support Hagrid," I say. "Otherwise you'll be taking care of flubberworms for the rest of the year."

Granger snorts. "That's an awful joke. Poor Hagrid."

I sigh. "Go to Hogsmead with Longbottom. At least he won't make you cry."

Granger gasps. I then mount my broom and start flying. It feels great. It distracts me from everything and no one interrupts me from the gentle bliss of doing something I really like.

"Draco," Pansy's voice then fills the air. "I knew I'd be able to find you in the air. Ready for Hogsmead?"

I nod excitedly. The last few days have started to become more cold. It would not be long before snow would fall. "So where do we go off to first?"

"We'll go to Madame Puddifoots, of course," Pansy drawls while fluttering her eyes. I look towards the pink-looking tea shop and feel immediately horrified. Pansy starts laughing loudly. "If you want we can go to Honeydukes, I know you're dying to go.."

I feel relieved she was not serious about getting tea there. "Sure, you don't want some adventure or romance like in your novels?"

Pansy snorts. "I'm not looking at your sour face in madame Puddifoots. We could go to the haunted shack, though. If you hold me close?"

I blush. "We could also get some butterbeers at the three broomsticks," I mutter.

Pansy grabs my hand decidedly. "Why don't we just take a walk first and then warm ourselves with some butterbeers? After that we can always visit Honeydukes and if you dare the shrieking shack.."

We did just as Pansy suggested. I had a great time. I was happy I was wearing a warm winter cloak as there was a cold wind. We passed Granger who seemed to have asked Longbottom as her company. Later we passed Weasley who seemed to be sulking. I snorted. Served him right for trying to pick a fight with me.

Pansy and I talked lots. About classes and about when we were younger. We laughed about how snooty we used to be. We talked about all the balls we had attended together. "I do enjoy dancing with you, Draco," Pansy then says. "It is a shame Hogwarts does not hold any dances."

"We could go to the wizards wireless network station, who knows, maybe there's a cool musician playing. Surely we could dance there. People sometimes listen in there," I say rushed.

Pansy smiles largely. "That would be cool.."

When we came there Celestine Warbeck appeared to be there singing about making a large cauldron of love. I look disappointedly at Pansy. "Well, we could dance closely," she suggests with a shrug. We dance for a short amount of time, but we both really don't care much for her music, so we head to the shrieking shack, were Pansy held closely to me as if she were genuinely scared. "You're not scared," I accuse her lightly, but I enjoy how close we are.

She sticks out her tongue and takes a few steps away from me. "Honestly, this place just looks dirty and old. Can we leave?"

I snort. I take her hand and we run straight from the shrieking shack to the three broomsticks. We share a few tentative kisses and then enter the pub. We both order a butter beer and are quickly joined by Vin, Greg, Blaise, Theodore, Daphne and Millicent. We have lots of fun, then we leave the group after paying for our drinks and go to Honeydukes.

That night was a perfect ending of a perfect day, I thought happily, as we were all digging into an extraordinary Halloween feast.

Then later all students were brought to the great hall. Apparently Sirius Black was in the castle and had slashed the Gryffindor portrait. I fell asleep holding Pansy's hand, while pondering if Lupin let Black in.


	35. Chapter 35 DADA

_Ginny_

I woke up. The weather has gotten worse the past few days. I quickly put on robes. It is still early as I walk out the dormitory. Ginny is already awake. "Well, I'm glad I'm not playing today," I greet her. Today there was a quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.

Ginny smiles at me. "The weather has been rather awful lately, hasn't it?"

I nod happily, then I sit down next to her on the couch. Ginny puts her book away. She had been doing homework. "You're up early," I note.

Ginny then bites her lip. "It's just some nightmares." She looks to the softly crackling fire.

She does not seem to really want to talk about it. "Is it the dementors," I ask. "I know they affect you worse."

Ginny glares. "It's nothing."

I swallow. "You know, Potter was pretty badly affected too by those dementors. It does not make you weak."

"I know," Ginny says. She bites the inside of her cheeks, trying not to tear up. "I just keep getting reminded of last year every time I walk past them.. I hate going to herbology. I don't even want to go out to fly anymore."

"Well, we definitely can't have that," I say softly. "I expect you to get on the quidditch team next year together with Pansy. I just have to coax Pansy into it."

Ginny chuckles softly. "You and Pansy are cute together."

"I am not cute," I object immediately.

I then look at Ginny, tears roll down her cheeks. I forget what I wanted to say. Ginny softly kicks against the small table. "It just sucks. I thought I was doing better." She hiccups. "I just wish.. they wouldn't affect me so much." She then sounds surprisingly bitter. "Look at me. Already bawling and the day barely even started.."

"Hey, don't cry," I mutter uncomfortably. "You don't have to do it all on your own. Vin will help too, I just know it-"

Ginny glares again. "I don't need protection."

"I didn't mean-" I try to say.

Ginny interrupts me. "For if you haven't noticed yet, I have more than enough older brothers acting like I can't take care of myself."

I raise my eyebrow. "I never noticed them hover over you at Hogwarts. I thought they almost forgot about your existence."

Ginny gives me a tired look. "Well, Ron kinda does. Fred and George are fine. They keep me company a lot though. Crack a lot of jokes, which is.. kinda nice. Percy though has been annoying me to no end. Walking me to classes and the common room.."

I snort. "And you let him?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I hexed him." She sounds a little too pleased.

"See," I say. "You can take care of yourself just fine. And I know that too. I was not planning on hiring Vin as your new bodyguard." Ginny snorts softly. "You helped me defeat my boggart. Now I'll help you defeat a dementor.." I squeeze her arm lightly.

Ginny smiles weakly at me. "You know how to defeat a dementor?"

I roll my eyes. "I know I'll find out how to defeat a dementor. You should watch the quidditch match with us. Vin would love it if you joined."

Ginny nods and gives me a curious look.

 _DADA_

I had my arm slung around Pansy as we walked into the classroom. I had dreaded defence class, but to my relief Severus took over Lupin's classes today. Severus though was in a particular bad mood, snapping at students and to my surprise started teaching us about werewolves instead of grindylows.

I felt as if Severus was communicating something, why else would he randomly start teaching about a subject ahead of our class. Did he just want to say Lupin was inept that we weren't this far in the textbook? No, Severus had admitted Lupin would at least be an adequate teacher, even if it was sourly. It had to mean something else. Was Severus trying to tell us Lupin was friendly with werewolves? That he befriended wrong people, like Black? No, that made no sense. How would anyone find out about Lupin being friends with werewolves from this? No, no it had to be something else.

I leaned back and tried to soak in all that Severus taught today. Then a horrible thought crossed my mind. What if Lupin was absent because he was a werewolf and tonight was the full moon?

I raise my hand. Severus smiles softly at me. "Malfoy," he drawls.

"Sir," I say. "When is the full moon?"

Severus seems delighted by my innocent question. "Why, I hope you are not in need of moondew?"

I smirk. "Of course not sir."

Severus smiles appraisingly at me. "Good. Full moon was last night. It would be a shame if you would be out of it during brewing. Of course you can tell me which potions need it?"

I nod. "Wiggenweld potion, draught of living dead and antidote to common poisons."

Severus smirks. "Fifteen points to Slytherin."

"That's unfair," Potter blurts out. "That's a potions question."

Severus smiles cruelly. "You want one too, Potter?" I roll my eyes, how stupid could Potter be to interrupt Severus when he was in such obvious mood? "Tell me some other ingredients of the draught of living death?" He tutted. "Surely you can manage one ingredient?" He sneers. "Just as I thought. Twenty points from Gryffindor."

Potter looked annoyed. "I can tell you how to defeat a grindylow."

Severus glares at him. "I thought I had made it clear that today we would treat werewolves.. Ten points from Gryffindor for your insolence." Potter kept his mouth shut for the rest of the class.

Did this mean Lupin was a werewolf, I thought. I really wanted it to make no sense at all, but it did, in a horrible kind of way. Lupin, I realised even thought I had known about it.


	36. Chapter 36 Dementors

_Quidditch_

The weather is horrendous. I am glad professor Snape had rescheduled so that Gryffindor was now playing Hufflepuff. Flint needed to get his potion grade up as it was humiliating him. Severus had said. Severus never liked Flint too much. Too much brawn not enough brain, I guess. Either way, Flint did not seem to care much. He was gloating all day that Gryffindor had surely practiced to win against us and was not prepared for Hufflepuff and that they would be stamped into the ground.

A cold wind is blowing and large raindrops fall. Pansy shivers and I lightly hold her against me. Flint was right, Gryffindor was not doing well. Potter looked absolutely lost in the sky and seemed blinded by the weather. The quidditch players look miserable in the air and the game is intense.

Ginny has come too to the game. Her hair is tousled. She is avidly talking to Astoria, Greg and Vin.

Then Wood asks for a time-out. I see Granger pulling her wand on Potter. Nothing seems to happen, but after the time-out it quickly becomes clear that she had cast something that repelled the water from Potter's glasses.

The game is really intense. Potter and Cedric spot the snitch at the same time. Potter makes to grab it. I feel my stomach clench as I see dementors in the distance close to Potter and Cedric. Cedric catches the snitch and dives down, seeming to take no notice of the dementors. He sports a broad smile and elatedly shows the golden snitch in his hands. Pansy claps to my surprise.

Potter does seem affected. Then he falls from my broom. It is horrible. I cannot do anything as he falls. Potter is going to die, I feel certain of it. Of course he didn't die, Dumbledore slowed his fall and the boy who lived could hardly die in a stupid quidditch accident. I hear a loud crash. I quickly turn and wince as I see Potter's broom being broken down into small twigs by the whomping willow.

When we walk back to the common room it is eerily silent. Potter might just be the unluckiest guy in the world, I thought. I then notice how badly Ginny is shivering and I feel very certain it is not due to the cold, for which with this weather it could be easily mistaken, it were the dementors. I feel myself more and more determined. I will find out how to kick some dementor's bum.

I excuse myself and head to the library, but could not find anything. I decide if I can't find it tomorrow morning I'll ask after DADA.

 _Professor lupin_

The next day professor Lupin assured us that we did not have to write the unfair essay professor Snape gave us about werewolves. He looked very pale and had a large scar on his face that looked painful.

Why would professor Dumbledore let a werewolf into Hogwarts? I could not fathom how a headmaster that cared about his students could let someone in like that. And Dumbledore did care about his students, I was certain. He could have easily gotten Fudges post. Or any other job. Still, all I had ever heard about werewolves had been decidedly unpleasant. It made a sharp contrast with the wearingly-looking teacher.

I failed to pay attention to classes, my mind seemed to crowded.

I stayed behind after classes. Professor Lupin looks kindly at me, which kind of hurts. "Is it Professor Snape's essay that's bothering you, mister Malfoy?"

Well, it was, partly. It was the whole Black-thing and all those dementors. I look away from Lupin's face. "I was wondering about dementors, sir," I then say. I don't want to meet professor Lupin's eyes. It brought too many questions. Was he helping a mass murderer. Did he want Potter dead, while he still thought Lupin to be the best defence teacher we ever had?

Lupin shifts his pose and I see a surprised look on his face. The gash on his face reminds me what he is. "What a peculiar subject," Lupin slowly says.

I frown. I do not want to tell him about Ginny. Or about how it had scared me to see Potter fall from his broom. He could have died. I decide to just ask what I wanted to know. "I tried to read up upon them, just some extracurricular studies, sir," I say, "I could not find anything to defeat them. How does the ministry control them?"

Lupin looks relaxed. "I think you have been looking through the wrong books. Dementors are not defeated. They are controlled though by a charm, not jinxes nor curses, which is why your search failed."

I feel glad, at least, talking to professor Lupin got me something. "Which charm?"

"The patronus charm," Lupin answers, "It is very complicated magic. Many grown wizards and witches have been unable to produce one. May I ask you why you have grown this sudden interest, mister Malfoy?"

I back away. "I don't trust you." I stumble a bit. Lupin gives me a sad look. "I see," he answers with a curt nod. I can look into the patronus charm in the library, I don't need him. I feel so certain I do not want to get close to him. If you get close to people, you become blind to their faults.


	37. Chapter 37 Special

_Severus_

I am having tea with Severus. Muggle books are sprawled over the table. "If you still want to learn more about muggles and you are not too busy," Severus drawls. "You could read these books. They are study books for children. Basic history, some other subjects like biology, math, physics. A few very famous muggle stories."

I quickly pack them in my back. "Thanks," I say gratefully.

Severus does not look very interested to talk about muggles though. "You can ask me if you have any questions about them. If you're done with them and you still want to know more, tell me."

I nod. "Why did you do that?" I then blurt out. It was a thought that had been drifting through my mind the past days.

Severus frowns. "Do what exactly?"

"That lesson you took over for professor Lupin," I reply, "You let us study werewolves. Everyone could have found out. You could have him fired! You could get fired by Dumbledore."

Severus looks highly amused. "Dumbledore is not going to fire me. He might have been severely unimpressed, but he wants me to teach potions."

I frown. "You don't want to teach?"

Severus stares at me. "I already told you." He grits his teeth.

I nod. "But you want to teach defence against the dark arts.."

"I do," Severus clarifies.

"All defence against dark arts teachers have quitted after one year," I note. "They say the position is cursed."

Severus raises his left eyebrow, as if to say: what if they did. "As they did when I went to school."

I sigh. "You're a horrible teacher. Surely, there must be hundred of other candidates for your position, unlike defence. He should be exhilarated you want that position."

Severus shifts his pose. "I'm flattered, Draco."

I ponder. "Do you think Dumbledore is in love with you and wants to keep you close?"

Severus seems to find this hilarious. "Dumbledore and I have an intricate relationship, Draco. We are not in love. I cannot tell you why I teach or why Dumbledore keeps me around, so stop asking me."

I sigh. "But you hate it. Don't you resent it that you are forced to do something you hate every day?"

"Many people don't like their jobs, Draco," Severus then says. "Without Dumbledore, I wouldn't even have the freedom of what to do in my free time, which you know I do enjoy. We would have not had the opportunity to spend time together, nor would I enjoy the company of your parents."

I frown.

Severus changes the topic. "I heard you went to Hogsmead with Pansy."

"Well," I answer, "With who else had you expected me to go."

"I meant as a date," Severus says.

I blush. "I guess so." I then collect myself. "I didn't know you were into gossip."

Severus takes a sip of his tea. "Do not be silly, Draco. I would not emerge myself in something like gossip. If you wouldn't want everyone to know, you should not be so obvious about it."

I blush. Then a new thought crosses my mind. "Severus, have you ever been in love?"

"Of course I've been. I am not a man of stone," Severus snaps. Clearly uncomfortable. "Things do not always work out."

I nod. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Severus says. "I was lucky to know her."

I feel surprised. There were so many things I had never thought to ask Severus. "Were you long together?"

Severus seems to grow annoyed. "I was young. Foolish. We never had a chance." He then quickly stands up. "I have to mark some papers."

I don't know what to say to that, but I don't have to as he already seems to leave the room. I couldn't find a more private man than my godfather, I was sure.

 _Snow_

The last days it had gotten colder. The first snow was falling as I walked with Pansy on the grounds. "You've been absent these past few days," she notes.

I look at her confused. "We have been spending a lot of time together."

She rolls her eyes at me. "I know. You've been absent in thoughts. Like something is bothering you. Anything on your mind?"

I thought of my parents and Lupin and Black and Ginny and Buckbeak and the dementors. A lot of things were going on. "No, nothing," I say.

She gives me an annoyed look.

"It is really quite beautiful," I then say, looking at the snow around us.

"And cold," Pansy softly says. "Absurdly cold." She laughs.

"And cold," I softly agree with her as a particular strong icy breeze sends a chill down my spine. We listen to the wind roar for a few minutes side by side and for that moment that is just fine.

Pansy shifts her body away from me. I hadn't even noticed I had pulled her against me. "You've been quiet the last few days and that's fine. But there is something on your mind and you are not telling me."

I sigh. Pansy had been my friend for a really long time. She knew me. "You are right."

"And you're still not going to tell me," she softly accuses me.

It felt unfair. I had never felt comfortable sharing something that bothered me if I had not yet solved it in my mind, after that, I'd gladly tell her.

I would tell her all about all my worries about a werewolf and possible aid of a mass murderer, when I found out what I should think about Lupin. So probably after he killed Potter or Black.

I would tell her all about Ginny and her troubles with the dementors if it was solved, but it wasn't. I'd tell her about Buckbeak and how he'd probably get beheaded and how there was nothing to be done. But what did it matter? I hardly liked magical creatures. Sure, it did not deserve to die, but why would I care. Why did I care.

I could tell her about my parents and how strange it all felt this summer. I was sure they loved each other, but it all had seemed so tentative when we had finally all spend time together.

I could tell her about taking muggle studies and talking to Dobby and feeling like I was not quite sure about anything.

I could tell her how I hated sharing classes with Granger and I'd suddenly felt this urge to say horrible things to her. To belittle her for how smart she was, worse how eager she was in classes. How I sometimes wanted to call her a mudblood. How much I hated it if Pansy would belittle how another girl looked. Because it bothered me. Because hearing Pansy utter such words felt like looking in a mirror.

And I did not like that mirror-image. Because that image was insecurity. And Malfoys weren't insecure.

Malfoys were special. They were influential. They were privileged. They were better than everyone. Mudbloods were nothing compared to them!

But I was not like that. I was mostly privileged. Really privileged. That was all. When I was younger I had fancied myself as a smart boy. I loved reading. I loved tattling on about potions. I liked how it made Severus smile. I loved how proud it would make my parents. And then I went to Hogwarts. It hit me like that smack from Granger.

And then I look up and I see Pansy's hurt face.

At that moment I could have told her any of these things. Or I could have told her somethings else. Like, I could have told her how I'd never really opened up to people other than mother, father and Severus. How she was my first friend. How much it had meant to hang out and just talk. How that meant the world to me, even if it seemed so small and unimportant. How easy it felt to take on a cold demeanour, like they did, except when it was just us.

How hard it was to let that cold demeanour drop, to share what went on inside.

I could have told her. I should have. I looked up and Pansy was gone. I had realised we had a long and in a girl's eye romantic walk and then I had just grown moody and silent and reluctant to open up.

Later she told me she wasn't angry. It was fine. I could have my secrets. It reminded me of when Severus said things didn't always work out. It didn't feel fine, but I just pushed the feeling away.


	38. Chapter 38 It was real

_Lupin_

Later I'd say we both pushed each other away. Two insecure teenagers do not make the best lovers, even if what they had was lovely and genuine. Even if they fit so well before. Maybe if we'd gotten together when we were older it would have, but we did not and there's no point in what ifs.

Following our walk, Pansy grew insecure. As much as I tried to ignore it, I could not deal with it. Her voice became whiny. I started liking her decidedly less every day. She grew more clingy. Demanding I walked her to every class and I did initially. Slowly taking up more and more of my free time.

She also alternated between hanging more around Daphne Greengrass. Gossiping about other girls.

I almost felt relieved when professor Lupin asked me to stay back after class. Pansy gave me a sympathetic look and a kiss before she walked out. Lupin leans against the desk. "How is your interest in the patronus charm going?"

I feel frustrated. I hardly seemed to make any progress. Pansy was always demanding me to be with her.

Professor Lupin then continued. "It is a very difficult charm. There would be no shame in it if you haven't been able to produce one. Many grown wizards can't."

I sputter. "Who says it wasn't just academic interest?"

"Well, it isn't, is it?" Lupin says. "You wouldn't have come to me if it was." I agree it makes sense. "You might not like me. Nor trust me. I am still your defence teacher."

Curiosity won over. "How do you cast it?"

Lupin patiently showed me the wand movements and went over the right pronunciation of the spell. "Though this is very important, the most crucial thing is to find the right memory. You can't just think of any memory. That's the real trick of the spell, you need to find a thought that is so bright and it can protect you from the darkest corners of your own mind." We sit there in quiet. I am thinking Lupin's words over. "You can go if you want to." He smiles lightly. "You don't have to be in my presence." It didn't sound bitter. It could have easily sounded bitter. He just looked at me with acceptance. Like there just were some people that hated you based on the fact that you were once bitten by a werewolf and that was okay.

I suddenly started wondering about Lupin. I hadn't before. Maybe because it was easier to see him as a monster or this halfbreed that was less than me then as a real human being. To me at that moment, being a werewolf just seemed lonely and scary and watching his scarred face painful. "Can you cast a patronus charm?" What I really wanted to know was much more private. Would a werewolf have a memory strong and happy enough? Lupin nods, but makes no move to cast it.

 _Patronus_

I had my first row with Pansy. I told her I couldn't hang out with her all the time. I told her I missed my friends. It was something that had been bothering me. She didn't take well to my words. Now I had found Ginny sitting in an empty classroom, laughing loudly at something Fred or George had just said.

I feel a bit hesitant: should I knock?

I decided not to. Ginny seemed surprised to see me. "Are you looking for Pansy?" The question was posed innocently.

The twins seemed to find this hilarious. "Geez, Malfoy, looking for your girlfriend in an empty classroom?" The other twin then added: "Maybe you should look in the astronomy tower."

I felt heat flush to my cheeks. "I'm not looking for Pansy."

Ginny looks at me a bit sheepishly. "I just thought, you know? You've been hanging around her a lot lately. You've always stuck together, but not like.. this."

The twins decided to clarify it for if it wasn't clear yet.

"Like peanut butter and the roof of your mouth." "Or your fingers after using superglue." "You're like a siamese twin."

"Or like when your hungry and go to the fridge and you can't find anything good so you close the fridge, but then you change your mind and decide you did see something you liked." "Exactly like that," the other twin supplied. "Yeah, so you tuck the fridge, but it won't open and is sealed shut because it is like repressing itself."

The other twin must have seen something on my face. "Stop it Fred, you're upsetting our little Slytherin here." Ah, so this was George. George was looking at me straightly. "I get it. I know the feeling. I mean, you start to tug as hard on the handle and stand back on your feet to get some leverage, but it doesn't open. Then you just feel sad, thinking about the food you saw, but cannot reach."

Ginny is laughing freely. The joking twins are strangely comforting. Fred then opens his mouth, but before he can say anything, I beat him to it.

"I get it," I say quickly. "Pansy and me are like atomic particles in a nuclei."

"Your what?" George blurts out.

Of course, a few months ago I would have caused a fire trying to get some light in a muggle house, to them I must sound like I was talking gibberish. I decided it would be too weird to explain. Even trying to explain a Malfoy was interested in Muggles of all things! Interests and passions though weren't written in blood or DNA, they were grown pursuing something.

I then quip: "Like two magnets."

They got that.

Fred then said: "So to what do we owe the pleasure of your company?"

I give Ginny a look, trying to convey I know more about casting a patronus. "Oh," she softly gasps. "Guys, leave it, you just told me you had to meet Lee for super secret stuff anyways."

George turns to Fred. "I feel we are being left out of the loop."

"I do too, George," Fred gives us a curious look. Then he does an impression of some pompous guy I presume must be their rule-abiding brother Percy. "Simply splendid to have seen you, old friends, we have some important business to attend to though. Now, we expect you to read your school books and get good grades. As we always say be a stickler to the rules."

I snort then quickly turn to Ginny and tell her all I found out about the patronus charm. I then conclude: "So it's going to be difficult, but it must be possible right?"

Ginny quips a smile. "Going up with Fred and George makes you believe anything's possible as long as you've got enough nerve."

I smile. "Well keep that in mind."

 _Pansy_

I could no longer put it off. Christmas was coming up and I could hardly break it off when she'd stay at my place or something like that. It would be better to do it while we were still at Hogwarts. I had written it on paper, wanting to do this well. Pansy was not just some girl, she was my first friend.

Pansy is fawning over me. I push her off me. "I'm sorry," I say. She looks at me, not understanding. "When we first started seeing each other everything felt great. We were still us. You teased me. I teased you back. Then it was less great, but it still felt nice. Then it grew worse. I don't want to hate you, but being in your presence all the time it makes me like you less."

Pansy is crying.

I don't like seeing her cry. "I'm really sorry. It's just you're so insecure and I can tell you every day how beautiful and great I think you are, but it won't change anything because you don't believe me."

I take a step back. "I can't deal with that. You know, I am insecure too and I feel the past weeks we've brought out the worst in the other. That's not how relations are supposed to be. You need to realise that talking bad about others or pushing me to spend every second with you won't give you any confidence. It just grows and shows how insecure you're feeling. You can't trust me. And I get it. I feel that urge too, to talk others down to feel better, but it always ends up making me feel worse."

I walk towards the door, but turn back to her. "That we are breaking up doesn't mean I never cared for you or liked you. Love in books always makes it seem like love was not real if the relationship ends, but that's bullshit. People grow, I just would have never guessed we'd grow apart."

I walk out of the door and I feel like crying. I am glad that this is over, but it does not make it any easier. I take my broom and quickly soar through he air.


	39. Chapter 39 Hogsmead

Hogsmead

It was a hogsmead weekend just before christmas. I had been pondering what to get Pansy. She was my long-time friend and we had also just broken up. It had been awkward the last few days.

I had decided to go with friends. I was sure Pansy was going with Daphne as she was rarely without her presence the last few days. It was nice to hang out with just Vin and Greg. I realised I had been missing them a lot.

"I was hanging out with Hermoine yesterday," Greg said. I look at Greg confused. Why on earth would he hang out with Granger. "I hope you don't mind I invited her to hang out with us if she'd got into a fight with Ron. I don't like seeing her upset all the time. Plus, we've been researching cases a lot together. She really needs to do something else than prepare for Hagrid's case and keep up with all her classes. I think she's taken on a little more than she can carry."

I look at him incredulously. "I told you not too. As I told her. Buckbeak is getting beheaded, no matter how good of a case Hagrid makes."

Greg gives me hurt look. "If we don't even try it will surely die." Vince pats Greg's back.

"At least you got to take care of something else than flubberworms during class for the first time again," Vince says trying to cheer Greg up.

Greg smiles lightly. "I guess it's something. I just wish I could do more."

"We could still free Buckbeak," I quip.

Greg roles his eyes. "Hagrid will get in trouble."

"He'll be fine," I say with a wave of my hand. "Anyway, how's it going with you and Ginny, Vince?"

Vin gives me an annoyed look. "You know, just friend," he grumbles. "She knows though because some prat apparently keeps telling her I'd love it if she would join."

I feel surprised. Had I?

"I was fine with being just friends, but thanks for ruining that," Vin mutters. "Now it just grows awkward when we hang out."

"I'm sorry," I say fully meaning it.

"The worst is.." Vin continues. "She won't let me be there for her. She used to tell me when she had nightmares or when the memories got back because of those horrid dementors, now she just wants to be alone and tells me she's fine."

I feel horrid.

"Let's just take a walk," Greg says.

I want to say something to make it up to them. "I missed you guys. It's good to hang out," I say.

Vin looks moody. "You kind of ditched us for Pansy."

We walked in silence. Then we suddenly got pelted with snowballs from out of nowhere. I frowned. Then I realised we had walked towards the shrieking shack and I felt a chill down my spine. Vin though pelted a snowball in the direction and for a few seconds Potter's head appeared. I felt furious. Did Potter not understand that he was endangering his own life and his friends by leaving the castle?

I went straight to professor Snape to tell on him, but somehow Potter had arrived back at Hogwarts before me. I vowed to find out how he'd done that. At least I was comforted by Severus support of me.


	40. Chapter 40 Christmas

C _hristmas_

It always felt surprisingly cozy in the large manor at Christmas morning. Father still looked slightly groggily and Severus wore a smile if you looked carefully and mother was trying to get us all sing along with her to god rest ye, merry hippogriffs which apparently had gotten stuck into her head and she had no clue why. Severus and father were weakly objecting. Mother send me a pleading look and I joined her at the top of my voice, making her smile brightly.

We haunted Severus and Father with the song till they joined in, which in Severus case was a bit sourly. Father though seemed very amused.

After that we started opening presents. It was mostly me though, who had gotten the most presents. Severus only had four, as he always had, one from each of us and from Dumbledore. This year I got none from Pansy, of course, what else should I have expected, still I felt a bit saddened. Still, I got plenty of presents.

From Severus I got _Do zombies dream of undead sheep_ , a book which I quickly realised was written by muggle scientists. Of course father and mother assumed it was a book about defence or something and talked about actual zombies instead it explained what was apparently neuroscience. I felt intrigued.

Muggles had the strangest ideas.

The dull spark of interest in muggles, which at first felt akin to enjoying unpleasant sensations you'd get from being grossed out or scared by horror tales or reading about dangerous magical creatures or awful magical maladies, had really ignited with learning more and more about their habits, creativity, inventions and reasoning.

I reluctantly lay the book besides me, wanting to find out more about this book. "I'm glad you like it," Severus says while observing me. "Thank you, for the chess set."

I smile back at Severus. "You teached me how to play. I saw it in the shop and I realised I hadn't touched a chess piece in a long time. Maybe we could play some time and Hogwarts. You know, I am a lot smarter now then when i was seven, I might beat you now.."

Severus snorts. "Maybe you could give me a challenge."

I grin broadly. From someone else that might sound derisive, but from Severus that sure felt like something close to a compliment.

I then open my parents present, which contains a book. Excitedly I turn it and then feel heat rush to my cheeks when I read the title. _A young wizards handbook to puberty, girls and bodily changes_ by _Jason Goyle_. I look horrified to mother who is smiling amusedly.

Mother grabs my hand. "Draco, you've been maturing. We thought it might be appropriate to give you something that would be suitable with that. You've even gotten your first girlfriend."

I look at mother with large, horrified eyes. Please, can't we change the subject?

"Your mother is right," father then said. "It is important that you know this stuff. I believe that there is some important information on pages twohundred seventy two till three hundred and five. Of course, we know you and Pansy broke up, still it would be good for you to know for when you find a new girlfriend and decide to take things further.."

"Lucius," mother admonishes. "He's still my baby boy. Though of course you're right to say you should know these things."

"Well, you know what they say," Severus slyly interrupts, "The raging hormones of a teenage wizard are worse than the urge to seek gold and shiny objects of a niffler."

I feel officially mortified.

Father snorts. "I don't think that's an actual saying. You just made that up."

"Oh stop it," mother than says, "We're embarrassing him."

I quickly tear open a present that was awfully standing out as it was packed incredibly wrinkly and I immediately recognised it as Ginny's. It contained a textbook with mostly gross, but harmless jinxes. Like how to make nose hairs grow uncontrollably or how to let ear wax stream from someones ears.

In the first page Ginny had scribbled something: _Happy christmas, Draco! When I was a kid this served me well growing up with Fred and George. I got it from Bill, telling me that when I was a bit older it would help me get back at them, of course he had meant when I started Hogwarts. Imagine the looks on their faces when I cast wandlessly, as I did not have one at the time, my favourite curse(See page 42) after a particularly mean joke. Ginny._

I smiled. I hope she liked the chocolate from Zonko's I got her, tastes heavenly and probably good as long as those dementors are around at Hogwarts. I quickly go to page 42 and chuckle. She told me after she got sorted that she'd used to bat-bogey hex on her twin brothers, I could have known!

Greg and Vin both got me candy. Greg I'd gotten some book from this Newt Scamander guy about magical creatures and Vin I'd given some candy.

I got some more candy of some other schoolmates. Buying Pansy's present had been the hardest. It still felt like the right choice, I wanted her to know I still cared, just no longer as her boyfriend. I had gotten her a friendship bracelet.


	41. Chapter 41 Intense

_Pansy_

When I entered the Hogwarts Express I almost knocked Pansy over. She looked at me as if she were not quite sure how to react. She looked like she wanted to hug me and run away at the same time.

I smile unsurely back, feeling hopeful.

Pansy then slaps me, looks a bit shocked and then runs off. The following days Pansy did not talk to me. Some days she'd glare at me like I was the foulest thing on earth. Other days she'd look sad and sport red, lightly swollen eyes and act moody to everyone. Sometimes I'd catch her looking whimsical at me. And other times she was laughing at things Daphne said to her. And all those days Pansy seemed unable to stay as long in my company that I would have the chance to ask her how she was doing or if she'd had a nice Christmas. Or even just to say hi.

However she always wore the friendship bracelet and I made sure to wear it too. It wasn't fine yet, but it would be, I was now sure of it. I felt relief settle down and let her sort things out.

 _Happy memories_

Ginny and I were in an empty classroom. "Patronus," I say almost hopefully, but nothing at all happens. I feel like my pronunciation and wand waving was not too bad.

Ginny is looking thoughtfully at me. "What are you thinking of?"

"First time riding a broom," I answer promptly.

Ginny smiles at me. "I thought of using that too! I did too, one of my first tries. Nothing. Then I remembered you told me it could not just be any memory. It had to be something special."

I want to object. The first time riding a broom had been special! It was a nice memory. Dad had taught me, but no- He had been to busy at the ministry and had this really good quidditch player come over and teach me and he had to leave before he could even see me do anything. Then I was just in the company of this stranger who had seemed incredible at what he did and I had just felt intimidated and wanted to go back to reading the fountain of fair fortune from the tales of Beedle the Bard, which had been my favourite story while growing up.

"Well, what is your happy memory," I shoot back, feeling a little frustrated I had not even been able to cast a silvery whisp of light. Ginny sticks out her tongue.

"Patronus," Ginny says. The tiniest flashes of silver come from her wand, nothing corporeal though.

I feel impressed. "How'd you do that?"

Ginny smiles at me. "You know a few weeks back when you hung out with me and Fred and George and they were like teasing you about how Pansy was attached to your hips, because I had thought you were looking for Pansy?"

"Sure," I say, as it was not too long ago.

Ginny chuckles. "I never would have expected you to laugh at their jokes. You can handle being made fun of if it comes from someone you really know and you don't know my brothers so well and anyway-" She hesitates. "I was kind of touched that you had tried to find out more about dealing with dementors and all- thanks by the way and then you told me all you'd found out and concluded with something that it wouldn't be easy and all. And I remember I told you that growing up with Fred and George makes you believe anythings possible and I did feel like that." Ginny then starts to adjust her shirt a bit uncomfortably. "So you know, I picked that memory.."

I feel sort of flattered that I was a part of that happy memory that produced those silvery strings from her wand, even if it was nowhere near a real patronus, it was the first that made something happen.

"Merlin," I mutter. "Maybe some flying is a bit mundane. Hell I should do some soul-searching."

Ginny's eyes crinkle. "You should. I am going to do something really mundane now though.."

I give her a questioning look.

Ginny roles her eyes. "Flying."

 _Library_

I awkwardly joined Greg, who seemed to be cheering Hermione up, or at least tried to. Pansy had looked really upset today and I had felt uncomfortable in the common room.

I shift a bit in my chair. "Weaselby's a prat again?"

Hermione looks unsure of how to react and buries her face in Greg's shoulder. A little bit later she stops hiding her face and looks embarrassedly at us. "It's just.. Harry and Ron are not talking to me anymore, because I turned that stupid broom of him to p- professor McGonagall."

I remember how Potter's broom had smashed the whomping willow. "What kind of broom?"

Greg gives me a bit of an annoyed look. "Does it really matter?"

"A F- Firebolt," Hermione answers.

I feel a bit abashed. Everyone new how good that broom was. "Why on earth would you do that?" Even if I was not the worst quidditch addict I would still gawk at brooms of that calibre.

Hermione crosses her arms defensively. "I thought- and professor McGonagall agreed with me, it is strange that Harry receives such an expensive gift without even a name of the sender. I thought it might have been from Sirius Black."

I frown and lean towards her, suddenly I can't hold it all in. "He is after Potter, father said so. You might be right. You are really brilliant to question that Firebolt."

Hermione raises her eyebrow at me. "Not everyone drools over that stupid broom."

I snort. "Does Potter know?"

"Know what?" Hermione looks impatiently at me.

I look around us, then focus on Hermione. "What Black did? He was his father's best friend, worse declared brother and he betrayed them to you-know-who."

Hermione nods sadly. "We overheard some teachers and minister Fudge speaking about it in the three broomsticks. Harry was really upset." Hermione bites her lips, as if she's trying to think up how to fix it.

I clench my teeth. "Do you think he'll do something stupid?"

"What? No," Hermione reacts confusedly.

I lean further towards her. Greg stays quiet, but I can see he is concentrated listening. "Mother and father were sure of it. They made me promise not to tell him. He almost got killed fighting a basilisk, wouldn't common sense tell you not to head there?"

"You did too," Hermione throws back at me.

"Maybe I would go after Black if I were Potter," I threaten softly. "Don't forget, Potter also almost got himself killed in his first year."

"That was different," Hermione objects.

I glare, feeling frustrated she does not listen to me. "How is it different?"

"It just is," Hermione says. "Else really bad things would have happened." It was clear she did not want to say whatever it was they tried to stop. Fine. Then don't.

"Potter," I then sneer, "Probably knows too about Lupin's affliction."

I can see that Hermione knows what I am talking about and in a huff she stands up. "It is professor Lupin and I do not see what his affliction has anything to do with this."

"Are you blind?" I whisper harshly. "Lupin is helping Black. That's why he's able to get into the castle!"

"That's ridiculous," Hermione reacts.

"Severus is right," I say annoyed. "Potter does not care about his life nor the safety of others. He thinks he is above the rules and is arrogant just like his father."

"Harry is nothing like that," Hermione defends. "And professor Snape is horrible to Harry for no reason."

I glare. "Like you have shown yourself capable of judging your teachers. In your second year you were pining after Lockhart. You know nothing about Severus nor Lupin."

Hermione then storms away after giving me one last glare.

"That was intense," Greg then notes dryly. I smile embarrassedly at him.


	42. Chapter 42 Bad news

_Bad news_

The past few days I felt myself grow more and more impatient. I still had not been able to conjure up even the tiniest breath of a patronus. Ginny at least had been able to produce some silvery smoke. Just a few days ago we had lost the quidditch game against Gryffindor, at least Greg had been overly happy the last few days as Hagrid and Buckbeak had gotten off with only a warning. _See?_ He'd told me. _Good things happen. Sometimes you just got to stand behind what you believe in even if the odds are not in your favor, mister glass's-half-empty._ Greg's mood had been infectious and my mood lifted a bit. Then McGonagall had announced that final exams would soon start. I had been spending a lot of my time in the library. I had been studying a lot. Not only for the exams, but trying to learn the patronus charm was taking up more time and energy than I had expected. I felt tired and pressured.

I sigh as I push my transfiguration's book away. Would I do well enough? What would father say if Granger would beat me in class again? Would he not mind this time or would he be ashamed? I massage the back of my head with my hands. Maybe I could get a better grade then Granger, I muse, whenever I saw her she always seemed to sport bags under her eyes. Maybe she took too many classes.

Then Pansy drops her books on the opposite side of the table. I look up surprised. "What're you thinking 'bout?" Pansy then asks me with a hesitant, tired smile.

I hesitantly smile back at her, not sure how I am supposed to act. "Not much." I shrug.

Pansy pulls her knees against her body and folds her arms around them. She lets her chin lean softly on her left knee. She swallows. "Survived the exam from arithmancy? I heard even Granger thought it was horrendous." I did not react. "At least we're almost through," she then adds half-heartedly.

I shrug. "I guess so."

"I've really missed you," Pansy then whispers. "I was really upset after you broke up, but it's fine." She did not sound entirely fine with it, whatever fine meant. "I did not see it then, but I got really insecure and you're right. Seriously though- it hurt me you could not tell me what you were brooding about. I wanted to help you, you know? I still do, we are still friends, at least I hope so.." She looks down and makes fists of her hands, which colour yellow from the force of the contraction of her hand muscles. "And you know, it gave me the feeling you just did not like me so much. I mean, when something happens- good, bad or funny, first thing on my mind is telling you. I want you to be happy with me when good stuff happens. I want you to cheer me up if things suck and I want you to laugh with me, because without you- honestly things just aren't so hilarious."

My head snaps up and I meet her eyes.

Pansy sighs and she looks incredibly frustrated. "I don't- we always made such good friends. It meant a lot to me. We should go back to that- no, whatever. It's fine." Again it did not feel fine. Pansy widely gestures with her hands, something that is quite rare for her. "I just.. say something to me, dude! We used to talk."

"Dude?" I snort.

Pansy gives me a soft shove. "Oh shut up, you can't blame me for not knowing what to say."

"It's just- You never say dude." I shake my head at her. Then my owl interrupts us as it strikes down at our table. I take the letter and absent-mindedly stroke her feathers. I immediately recognise my father's writing.

 _Dear Draco,_

 _I was horrified to hear from Sam McLaggen that his son was brutally attacked by a hippogriff during a lesson from that 'teacher'. I am glad you chose to pursue other classes and that you were not hurt or exposed to such danger. I hope your classes are taught by more adequate teachers and that you are doing well. I was writing as I wanted to let you know Sam asked my assistance as the Committee for Disposal of Dangerous Creatures was planning to let Hagrid and the beast off with only a warning. A warning I tell you! Of course I could not let that happen and me and Sam had a good talk with these members of the committee and showed them some sense. I hope you will feel yourself safer in a Hogwarts without the hippogriff and that the now teaching oaf will be more sensitive to what is appropriate to teach to Hogwarts students. Tell McLaggen I hope he will soon feel better._

 _On another note your mother wishes you would write more often. I am sure you have been terribly busy, but we both miss you. However we are both very happy your school year is almost over and that you will come home soon for the summer holiday. I know you must be studying very hard and I am sure you will do more than fine on your final exams. Good luck._

 _Love, from father and mother._

Pansy smiles a bit forced. "Something wrong? What do your parents say?"

"You saw Greg right?" I say, feeling a bit horrified.

"Sure," Pansy says. "You know, when McLaggen was attacked I had felt horrified. If that hippogriff would be beheaded that would be more than fine by me. I also feel glad though, have you seen how happy Greg has been ever since they let Hagrid and Buckbeak off?"

I nod and I feel terrible.

Pansy continues, not noticing the look on my face. "I wanted Hagrid to be sacked too, you know?" Pansy shrugs at me. "A few weeks ago Hagrid showed us unicorns. I wish you were there too, Draco."

I think back to my first detention and how scared I was to have to search through the forbidden forest to find an attacked unicorn. I had felt so embarrassed I was afraid and that I asked for assurance I would not run into a werewolf, while it was not even during a full moon. I feel a bit sheepish as I recall myself giving Longbottom a fright to feel less insecure and to put a spotlight on how big of a scared kitten he was, so no one would notice how panicked I had felt.

"I have never seen such beautiful creatures. I just felt so at peace and happy that they allowed me to touch them," Pansy shyly says.

"Read," I blurt out, as I hand her the letter.

"Oh," Pansy says sounding a bit saddened. "You know what the weird thing is? Now that it really is going to happen, now that the hippogriff will probably die for attacking Macmillan, I do not wish for it to die and I feel sad. Hagrid really is not that bad as a teacher. Unicorns normally get fidgety under a male's touch, but they did not even blink as Hagrid did, they leaned into his touch. I just never expected someone so large to be so gentle. I hope he will not get into too much trouble. And poor Greg, he has always had a big heart for magical creatures, remember that gnome that kept calling him foul names and tended to bite him a lot while he kept trying to befriend it by giving it worms? Any other eight-year-old would have started disliking that thing." Pansy laughs softly. "Greg is such a patient, sweet guy, I was kinda rooting for him the last few days. I missed you all, you know. You, Greg, Vin, we used to be closer. Greg seems really happy though and Granger too, they must have been a great help to Hagrid while he was preparing his case."

"I have not seen Greg much either," I admit. "He has been studying a lot with Granger. I really don't want him to find out, though. He was all about standing up for the right thing and stuff after Hagrid won the case, what if he'll blame me?"

I feel Pansy's hand press softly on my shoulder. "I'm sure he will not think it is your fault.


	43. Chapter 43 Shrieking shack

Shrieking shack

Of course, there was no way Greg would never find out about it. Pansy, Greg, Vin and I were hanging out in the common room. A barn owl landed on Greg's arm. Greg took the letter and then looked at me. "You let your father help threaten the committee along with McLaggen's father? I thought you were my friend?"

Crap! Greg quickly runs out of the Slytherin common room. "Where are you going?" I call after him, but he has already disappeared outside.

Pansy gives me a light shove. "Stand up then. Where do you think he is going? Honestly, there is not like there are many places he'd go. Or to the library to find Granger or to Hagrid to cheer him up."

I feel relieved Pansy is backing me up. Vin hesitantly joins. First, we go to the library. It is already past curfew. We almost got caught as we leave the library to head to Hagrid, as Greg and Granger both are nowhere to be seen. I feel a bit calmer as we walk out onto the grounds as the chances are much smaller to be caught now. I walk at a brisk pace and feel my breath getting a bit strained as I try to ignore how awful I feel about it all. As we come near Hagrid's place I hear Greg's voice.

Greg sounds really bothered. "Excuse me? I should go? That is really rich. You have just been horrible to Hermione and have barely done anything to help with Hagrid's case. You should go," Greg says heatedly.

Pansy opens the door. Everyone looks at us. Potter and Weasley stand right in front of Greg, who just looks angry at them. Granger stands in a corner and looks at the ground. I can see she is upset. Hagrid looks surprised at us all like he does not yet understand what is going on. "You too, here?" He grunts out.

Pansy looks straight at Greg as she answers for us. "We are so, so sorry to hear about Buckbeak, Hagrid. We heard it from Lucius and we had no idea he would do that. It is unfair that they are beheading an innocent creature."

I feel surprised at how genuine she sounds. Hagrid blows his nose. "Oh well, real nice to step by and visit of y'all, but its past yer curfew. Harry, you of all should know better with Black on the run. Ye'all really shouldn't have come."

Then a stone hits the window and I swear I see bushy brown hairs disappear behind some leaves. I shake my head. I must have studied too hard. Hagrid looks seriously at all of us. "You should go now! Quick, before they see you. The committee is coming this way."

"But Hagrid," Granger objects, "We want to be there for you.."

"You should not get into trouble for me." Hagrid shoves us towards the back door. He then grabs a rat from some pottery on one of the shelves. The rat is trying wildly to escape and is shoved in Weasley's hand. "Found him between the pumpkins in the field a few days 'go. Thought you would be happy to see him again." Hagrid smiles softly at Granger. "People can get a bit mad 'bout their pets. Thanks for the support, you and Greg helped me a lot prepare for the case." Hagrid quickly glances outside. He sighs and I get the feeling he really wants to say a lot more to us. He looks very serious at Potter and Weasley. ""Gawd knows yeh've had enough ter be gettin' on with this year. I've seen yeh, practicin' Quidditch ev'ry hour o' the day an' night — but I gotta tell yeh, I thought you two'd value your friend more'n broomsticks or rats. Tha's all." He then opens the door for us, throwing us out, as the committee arrives at the front door.

All of us swiftly sneak back in silence towards the castle and with such a big group of people it is a miracle we are not seen. As we walk past the whomping willow Weasley yelps and struggles to keep his rat in his hands, as the rat is wildly trying to escape. Then it bites Weasley viscously and it flees away. Weasley quickly grabs his pet and as he is trying to get a tighter grip a large black dog lunges straight for him. The dog seemed to come out of nowhere, or maybe I had been too distracted looking at him chase his rat. The dog then grabs Weasley's leg with a sickening crunch that makes me wince. Then the dog drags Weasley into a hole I had never spotted before near the whomping willow.

"Ron," Granger squeaks out as she bolts after him, Potter follows her and is just on her heels. The willow slams Potter away, who remains unconscious against the hill and Granger disappears into the tunnel. Greg then takes off to follow Granger.

"Greg," Pansy screams. "Come back. You're about to get hurt!"

"What are you doing mate?" I scream after him. "We should get Severus. You should not endanger yourself like this." Greg ignores us. A stump is heading right for his head. Pansy screams in shock. I push him aside and we lie heavily breathing on the cold, slightly wet grass. Another branch from the whomping willow is coming for us. We are close to the hole in which Granger, Weasley and the dog disappeared.

Pansy then drags us towards the tunnel saving us from being hit away by the whomping willow. "Run! Run, don't just lie there! Do you want to end up in the hospital and get hit by one of its branches!"

Greg smiles softly at us as we are inside. "You guys came after me. I thought you'd just leave."

Pansy gives Greg a harsh shove. "Of course we came after you, prat. You are our friend." She then sniffs. "Look where you got us! This is horrid. We are in a dark, dirty cave trapped between the whomping willow and that dog."

We then hear Granger scream. "Harry don't come after us! It is a trap. It is not a dog. It's Black."

Greg immediately rushes towards Granger's scream. Pansy sighs. "I'm going to kill him for putting us into so much danger." I snort as we run after him. My heart pounds in my ears.

The dark tunnel leads to an old shack. Greg stands in the opening of the old shack and Pansy and I stand just behind him. Weasley is partially sitting and partially laying on a wooden, torn bed. His leg seems to be in a strange angle and he looks pained. Granger is standing protectively in front of Weasley and is looking with hatred at Black. Black stands with his back to us and his eyes are fully focused on the rat in Weasleys hands. His smile makes my stomach churn. Blacks' face is hidden by long, dirty hairs that stick to his head.

Black has a hoarse voice. "There will only be one murder tonight."

"NO," Granger says and seems to have not yet noticed us or Greg.. She steps in front of the tunnel leading out of the cave. Weasley looks like he wants to stand up too, but Black blocks his path and with a whimper Weasley starts to heavily lean back on the wooden bed. Granger lifts her head and tries to meets Black's eyes as she spats at him. "I will not let you go after Harry. You will have to go through me."

I felt blood drain my face. Black has two wands in his wand, his focus however is not on Granger or Greg or us, but on Weasley's pet rat. I feel incredibly relieved. I feel so sure now that if he wanted Potter dead, he would have gone after him. It would not have been Weasley laying here. And if he wanted Weasley dead and had him somehow mistaken for Potter, he would have died. He wanted the rat. Of course Black had not survived Azkaban sane. No one would leave that place sane. He's after the rat. That's why Weasley was attacked twice. He never headed for Potter. I lower Greg's wand and I feel Weasley glaring acidly at me. "Give him the rat, go on!" I urge Weasley, feeling exhausted, but happy we would all survive this night, because as Black said only one would be murdered tonight. If that would be a stupid pet rat, that was something I could definitely live with.


	44. Chapter 44 unraveling

Before anything could happen or anyone could react to my words Lupin barged in. He was breathing heavily and looked wildly at Black and all of us. He easily summoned my wand and Greg's and Pansy's. Lupin then gruffly asks: "Where is he?"

"You," Granger shrieks sounding shocked and betrayed. "I trusted you. I knew you were a werewolf and I told no one. You helped Black all this time-"

"Not up to your usual, Hermione," Lupin interrupts calmly. "Just one out of two. I did not help Black. I am a werewolf however, I cannot deny that, how long have you known?"

"I knew ever since that class from Snape." Hermione then glares acidly at Lupin. "I should have listened to Draco. I should have distrusted you. I should have told Dumbledore. Well, Harry is not here, so you cannot harm him." She looks gleefully at him.

"Dumbledore knows of my affliction," Lupin calmly interrupts. "It would not have mattered if you'd gone to him. You can still tell him though, I send my patronus charm for him and Poppy. I'm sure you'd like to know that Harry-"

As Lupin says Harry, Weasley immediately jumps on his badly injured leg. "I won't let you hurt, Harry."

Lupin frowns worriedly. "Sit back, you are hurting yourself! You really need some care for that leg of yours. It is a good thing I send my patronus for Pomfrey and Dumbledore."

Then Black growls and lunges for Weasley, but is held back by Lupin who stands as a buffer between them. "You'll hurt Ron," he admonishes slowly. He then turns towards Weasley and orders: "Give us your rat."

Weasley holds his rat protectively against his chest. "Why? What would you do to Scabbers? Have they both gone mad?"

"What does it matter?" I groan. "Give them the rat and lets just get out of here-"

"Expelliarmus," I then hear Severus drawl. He is eyeing Black and Lupin maliciously like a predator as he catches the wands Lupin and Black were holding. "And Dumbledore was so sure of it that you would not help your old friend into the castle.." He sneers. "Black," he then spats hatefully, "I am so delighted to be the first to find you. I am sure that the dementors have missed you. I think not even the minister would object if I'd call the dementors, I am sure they would like to give you a little kiss."

As Black shudders, Severus grins. I feel sick.

"I am not sure if that is necessary, Severus," Dumbledore then interrupts, while raising his hand in a calming manner. "Lupin I must say that your patronus came as a surprise. Please explain yourself."

Behind Dumbledore stands Potter wearily and Pomfrey hustles past us and is already kneeling by Weasley's side, starting to secure his leg. Dumbledore in the meanwhile gives everyone back his own wand. Somehow Dumbledore's presence calms everyone down.

Lupin turns towards Dumbledore. "It was Pettigrew. They must have changed secret keepers. And he is here." Dumbledore frowns and signs him to continue. "This rat is Peter," he spats. With a quick move he had taken the rat from Weasleys grip.

Weasley objects. "That's ridiculous. That's my pet- Scabbers. He has been in my family for years. I got him from Percy."

Black looks even more hateful towards the rat than he had looked at Severus. "Let me kill him now," he begs.

Lupin shakes his head strongly and pushes Black away from the rat who was supposed to be Pettigrew. "No, they deserve an explanation, Sirius. You have to wait-"

"I am done waiting," Black bellows. "I have already done fourteen years of waiting in Azkaban. Hand over the rat."

Lupin holds the rat out of Black's range, who readily lunges for it. "They have to understand, Sirius! Peter was an animagicus," Lupin than faces Dumbledore. "They all became animagi. For me. Your dad, Harry, became a stag, Sirius became a black dog and Peter a rat. To be specific, this rat. So they could help me with my changes."

"How did mister Black know this rat was Peter Pettigrew?" Granger then questions.

Black then shows us a dirty old photograph. "I asked Fudge for the newspaper and I recognised him and the article was stated the boy in the picture with the rat would go to Hogwarts. He would go to the same place Harry would be."

"But-" Granger hesitates. "But how did you recognise it was Peter and not just a rat?"

"He misses a toe," Black answers gruffly.

"One way to find out," Severus then sneers at Black as he waves his wand at the rat, that immediately starts changing into a small, fat human, who must be Peter Pettigrew. Pansy grabs my hand, but quickly lets it go embarrassedly.

"We should call Fudge," Dumbledore says faintly. "An innocent's name needs to be cleaned tonight. The dementors will take a fine care of Peter Pettigrew."

Severus shoves Dumbledore away and trains his wand dangerously at Pettigrew. "No, I don't care about Black's name. He can rot in Azkaban, for all I care. Ava-" I feel confused by Severus sudden hate. It seemed so personal. Sure, it was absolutely horrid what Peter had done, but why would he want Pettigrew dead so badly? Dumbledore stops Severus with a hand on his shoulder. I let air flow out of my lungs, I had not realised I was holding my breath. "We should head back to the castle. Pettigrew will get what he deserves in Azkaban." Severus looks slightly calmed and adjusts his robes as if he had not just lost his temper.

Then professor Lupin groans as his body starts elongating. His scarred face becomes hairy and his jaw becomes longer. He looks in agony as his bones start shifting and he starts looking more and more like a werewolf. Severus throws himself between Lupin and me, Vin, Pansy, Potter and Granger as a way to protect us.

Then a lot of things were happening at once.

Pettigrew tackles Granger and takes her wand. I try to grab Pettigrew's hair and catch some strands of hair along with a part of his ear. Not sure what I am doing exactly I pull harshly. Pettigrew howls in pain and anger. I then feel a sharp pain in my arm and feel a warm, tingling sensation running along my arm: Pettigrew had cut my arm deeply with a swish of Granger's wand. I instinctively pull my throbbing arm towards my chest and let go of Pettigrew. Pettigrew then sees his chance to escape. He changes into a rat and scurries away, while leaving Granger's wand behind with a soft clatter.

Black at the same moment changes into a dog and shoves Lupin away from the tunnel into the shack and allows Pomfrey and Weasley to get away into the tunnel. Dumbledore stays behind and shoves all of us into the tunnel. As I walk away I look back into the shack. Dumbledore is helping Black out of the shack and is severing the door to hold Lupin inside. Black appears to be heavily bleeding. Severus notices I am standing still and quickly pulls me along with the others. When we get out of the tunnel the willow appears to be frozen. A loud howl fills the dark night and I feel a shudder travel past my back.

Severus clasps me tightly against him when we are all outside and then barks us to follow him to the castle. He leads us to the hospital wing. Pomfrey ushers over Weasley. Severus quickly heals my arm. He then leaves the hospital wing.

Then Dumbledore walks in with a heavily injured Black and looks at Granger. "More than one life can be saved. Two turns should be enough."

"I don't understand," Granger says.

"Fudge is nearing the castle. The dementors are craving for someone to torment. I fear that Black will have no chance to become a free man. He has too much evidence against him and Pettigrew was lost in tonight's chaos. He needs to escape the castle." Dumbledore smiles serenely. "You know the rules, miss Granger. Take Black and if you are not sure what to do I find it helps to follow my own footsteps. Remember, you cannot be seen."

Granger nods confusedly and steps towards Black and puts a necklace around both of their necks. "Wait," Greg interrupts. "What are you doing?" Greg stands up worriedly, looking between Dumbledore and Granger.

"I'll be fine, Greg," Granger whispers.

Greg quickly walks towards Granger and kisses her, as Granger starts twisting the necklace and disappears into thin air. I can make out the surprised, but pleased look on Granger's face and the panic on Greg's as Granger is at once gone.

Dumbledore smiles amusedly at Greg. "Ah young love," he says, "Granger will soon join us, I believe, she will be fine. Alas I believe she is almost here."

I look straight at Dumbledore. "It was Severus who alerted Fudge, was it not?"

"It was," Dumbledore answers. "Don't judge Severus too harshly, chances are Mister Black would do the same-" At that moment Granger rushes into the hospital wings. Her cheeks are coloured red. "Black has escaped with Buckbeak," she blurts out.

"Good, good," Dumbledore answers. "Why don't you all just go to sleep now.. I should meet with Fudge." He then walks away merrily. Greg shyly meets Granger's eyes. I feel too drained to try to make sense of all that happened tonight and I let myself fall into a deep, long sleep.


	45. Chapter 45 Summer

_Out of the hospital_

The day after Ginny visited me in the hospital. "Couldn't keep out of trouble?"

I snort. I don't feel like telling her the whole story. I am not even sure if I should. "Well, you know me," I say. "Any further with your patronus?"

Ginny shakes her head. "Not a lot of time between exams and studying."

"Well, I am sure madame Pomfrey will let me go now," I say. "I was practically all healed up by professor Snape last night."

Ginny gives me a curious look.

I get out of the hospital bed and we leave the wing. I unconsciously walk to professor Lupin's office and ignore Ginny's questioning look as I knock on the large wooden door. A tired-looking Lupin opens the door. On his face new, painful-looking scars have appeared. In his office lay bags and scattered clothes as if he is packing all of his stuff. "Professor," I say hesitantly. "Your not leaving are you?"

Lupin looks grimly at me. "Whatever happened tonight, cannot happen again. I could have severely injured a student. Besides professor Snape let slip that I was a werewolf, so in no time Dumbledore's office will be flooding with owls from worried and angry parents."

"That's not fair," I gasp.

"Is it?" Lupin interrupts. "I believe you have distrusted me the entire year, don't tell me you regret me leaving?"

I look embarrassedly at the ground. "I thought you were helping Black, sir."

"Well, you know now that was not the case," Lupin answers calmly.

I nod. "Thanks for helping me with the patronus charm."

Lupin smiles at me. "Did you manage one?"

"No," I say frustratedly.

"It is a very advanced charm," Lupin says politely. "What memory are you using? Many people cannot cast one as they do not have a memory that is happy enough to protect them from the dementors."

"I have not been having a lot of success," I finally say. "What do you think of?"

"Friends that did not care about my.. affliction," Lupin answers. "So show me!"

I look nervously at Ginny, who sticks out her tongue and takes a step forward. "Expect patronum," she exclaims. Her wand again produces some thick silvery mist, but there is no recognisable shape in it.

Lupin smiles warmly at her. "Good! That is incredible for a second year. This might actually protect you from a dementor, but you need an even better memory to create a corporeal patronus. Don't give up, though, you are getting awfully close."

Ginny smiles brightly at the praise. She shoves me lightly. "Now it's your turn," she says happily.

For a moment I feel unsure of what memory to use. Then I suddenly think of last night, when Greg took off after Granger and I pushed him aside and Pansy dragged us along into the shrieking shack. I had felt so relieved she'd come after us. "Expecto patronum," I say and then I produce my first silvery whisps and I feel exhilarated. Even if it is nowhere as close as Ginny's to a real patronus.

 _A few days later I entered the Hogwarts Express, I would soon be home._ I am in a compartment with Pansy, Ginny, Vin, Greg and Hermione, the latter were holding hands. Vin is telling us all about some new card game he'd owl ordered and was talking about joining the gobblestone club next year at Hogwarts. That reminded me of something. "Pansy, Ginny, you should try out for quidditch next year. We need better players." Then we talked for hours about quidditch, about the available positions and how awesome it would be if we'd all be on the team together.

The summer vacation was warm and it was nice to be home. I invited Pansy over lots of time and we'd play tons of quidditch. I owled back and forth with Ginny who had been playing quite some quidditch as well with all her brothers and seemed fairly confident she'd get on the team. Severus joined dinner a few times at the manor and was more than happy to talk about potions. Mother, father and I held some star-gazing nights, which father apparently had introduced to mother's amusement. We mostly talked a lot, while trying to spot some falling stars as it was the right time for it. The summer days really flew past and it was no time before I would get back for my fourth year of Hogwarts. The last few days however dad started teasing me something special would take place at Hogwarts, but he seemed to content to leave me guessing to my annoyance.


	46. Chapter 46 To Hogwarts

_Back to Hogwarts_

After saying goodbye to father and mother I quickly grab Pansy's hand and drag her into the first empty compartment I spot on the train. She looks pleased to see me and her haughtily look is slowly fading, as if she tried to tell me: who do you think you are to drag me along like this?

"I think my dad knew," I blurt out.

Pansy looks at me like I am daft. "Knew what?"

I lean in closer to her. "About what happened at the quidditch world cup. I was so furious he did not want to go! Fudge offered him tickets. At. The. Front. Best seats in the stadium and he just said no. Just said that we'd go another time and then to make things worse we went to your mother's charity party."

"Hey," Pansy objects.

I stick out my tongue at her. "You don't like them either."

"So what if your dad knew, Draco," Pansy asks softly, "Surely you would not have wanted him to be a part of that? I can't imagine you fancy having your dad attacking muggles and muggleborns." I straighten myself uncomfortably. Of course that was not what I had wanted. I had just felt distressed he was aware of it. That he was somehow a part of it, even if he had not joined in with his old friends. "You know not everyone in Slytherin had that luck, Draco," Pansy whispers softly. I follow her gaze and spot Theo. Maybe that was why dad had dragged me so quickly away in Diagon Alley when I had wanted to say hello to him. I could not quite remember if his dad had just looked sour, or had genuinely seemed angry at dad.

The train starts moving as we sit in silence. Theo joins the compartment and quickly looks outside. His face held no expression.

A bit later Vin joined. "Greg's not coming. Probably." He announces when he comes in. I raise my eyebrow at him. "Couldn't shut up 'bout her. Hermione this, Hermione that.." I snort. "Clearly he has not been whining to you about that all summer long." Greg and Vin always spent much of the holidays together as their parents were friends. And of course, there was no way Greg could explain wanting to meet up with a muggleborn girl during the holidays. "I swear," Vin says, "It is a miracle that his parents have no idea about his crush. Had to flatten out his toes a bit to make him shut up a bit, but it's probably the lesser evil." Ginny then enters the compartment.

I smile at her. "Ready to try out for quidditch, we need better players on the team. Besides there are three empty spots this year."

"Of course," Ginny replies confidently. "Pansy, you trying out as well?"

I scoff. "Of course she is. She is great and she loves quidditch."

"Well," Pansy interrupts, "I don't know if I should."

I scoff. "Of course you should. It would be more fun with you on the team. Anyways, did your parents tell you about the grand thing that would take place this year at Hogwarts?"

"It will be interesting I guess," Theo supplies. "But it is not like we can join in, it would be exciting though."

I felt frustrated. My dad had not wanted to spoil the surprise. Maybe I could sneakily make Theo tell us what was occurring as Pansy and Ginny did not seem to have any idea as well. Theo however would not budge and the surprise came when Dumbledore announced it to us.


	47. Chapter 47 Dumbledores announcement

Professor Dumbledore's announcement

No. This could not be happening. Dumbledore cannot be serious. Quidditch cannot just be canceled. No that was unfair. This would be the year. We would have the best team ever. Ginny would be on it. Pansy would be on it. It might have taken a little persuading, but she would be on the team. We would all beat Gryffindor together.

Whatever this big surprise is, I already felt a lot less enthusiastic. Dumbledore ignored all the whispers of the students and calmly continued. "I have a great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts.."

Then the door smashed open and a stranger stood in the doorway. He leaned upon a long staff and was covered in a large black travelling cloak. He walked towards the professor's tabled. Then another lightning struck and lighted up a scarred face, with a small, dark, beady eye and a vivid electric blue eye.

As he reached Dumbledore, they shook hands after which he took place at the empty teacher's chair for defence against dark arts. "May I introduce our new defence against dark arts Teacher?" Dumbledore said brightly. "Professor Moody."

I recognized the name immediately. "Pansy, wasn't that the retired auror who was fighting some garbage cans last week?"

Pansy looks at me with large eyes. "I think so, that was in the Daily Prophet."

I am looking transfixed at professor Moody. I had never seen anyone who looked like him. His face was battered with scars, he missed a leg that was replaced by some chunk of wood and his blue eye just kept searching the room.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "As I was saying," he said, smiling at the sea of students before him, all of whom were still gazing transfixed at Mad-Eye Moody, "we are to have the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for over a century.

Now I am getting a little curious again.

It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."

"You're JOKING!" said Fred Weasley loudly. I laughed from the surprise. "I am _not_ joking, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore said, "though now that you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag, and a leprechaun who all go into a bar..."

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat loudly. I smirk, of course the strict McGonagall would not be amused by professor Dumbledore's joke.

"Er - but maybe this is not the time…no…" said Dumbledore, "where was I? Ah yes, the Triwizard Tournament… well, some of you will not know what this tournament involves, so I hope those who _do_ know will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely."

I feel kind of excited now. Could you imagine that? Representing the entire school?

"The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang," professor Dumbledore went on, but I was no longer listening.

Mom and dad would be so pleased. Everyone would be proud. No, this would still be my year, I thought. Maybe quidditch was canceled. Frankly that was disappointing, but still. Representing the school. Of course Potter would try to put in his name. Typical. No, it would not all be about Potter. I would put forth my name.

"Do you think the goblet would pick me, Panse?" I ask, mustering a confident smile.

Pansy however does not look pleased. "What on Earth would you want to be picked for?"

I pout at her. "Don't you want me as your school champion?"

"I like having you alive. Did you not hear that oaf talking about a death toll. That was why it was outlawed.." Pansy looks at me as if I am being a major dunderhead.

Then Theo interrupts. "Surely, you know there is an age restriction. You are not going to be able put your name in it."

"I hope a Slytherin will be picked," Pansy then says, looking curiously at Warrington.


	48. Chapter 48 Moody

We are sitting at the lake. Just a few minutes till we have to head to DADA. Vin is talking about the niffler he was paired up with during care of magical creatures. "Gosh, Vin, you sound smitten," I say sarcastically.

Hermione looks up from her book. "I cannot believe you tried to steal it at the end of class."

Vin rolls his eyes. "I just thought it would make a great pet."

Hermione looks with a raised eyebrow at Vin. "The niffler would wreck anything in its search for gold and things that are shiny, how could you think it would make a great pet?"

Vin objects softly. "We made a great team." At that moment Kevin - the bowtruckle bit his hand. In pain Vin pulls his hand away. "What did you do that for?"

Hermione shares a look with Greg. "And I thought my friends were part-time idiots," she mutters.

I chuckle. "Think little Kevin is a little jealous." I tease. "Ow!" Kevin did not have a broad sense of humor and had thrown a tiny piece of wood into my eye.

Pansy gave Kevin an appraising look. "Well, you can say whatever you want about Kevin, but he's got good aim." The small bowtruckle stood a little taller. "He's like a smaller version of Cassius Warrington."

"I am heading to class," Hermione then interrupts, while smiling shyly at Greg. I am looking curiously at them. Greg then quickly gives her a hug. She then quickly strides away with a big book under her arm.

Greg stands a bit lost. "We uh, should probably head to class as well."

"We'll start our first school lesson of the year with a bang if so to speak!" I immediately recognized Flitwick's squeaky voice. "Can anybody tell me the incantation for the exploding charm?" Many hands were raised. We had class with the ravenclaws. "Yes, Lisa Turpin?"

"Bombarda, sir," she answered confidently.

"Yes! Very good! Ten points to Ravenclaw," Flitwick said happily. "Does someone else know something about the wand movements?"

Greg raises his hand. Flitwick immediately notices Greg's raised hand. "Yes, Gregory Goyle, please share your knowledge with the class!" Flitwick is smiling broadly as he jumps of a pile of books and walks towards were we are sitting. I look a bit surprised at Greg. Normally he was not keen on being in the spotlights during class. Greg hesitates, then shows a rather unelegant looking wand movement that trails three-quarter of a circle and then jabs downward. "Yes, yes, very good!" Flitwick claps in his hands. "Ten points to Slytherin."

Flitwick then starts talking about the spell and wand movements in more detail. "Let's practice the incantation without wands, shall we? Just to make sure, it is bom-BAR-da. Say after me: bombarda."

"Bombarda," the class repeats.

"Good, good," Flitwick says. "Again."

"Bombarda," we say again.

"Very well," Flitwick says. He then starts breaking down the wand movements. "In contrast to most charms we have practised the correct wand movements are rather unelegant. First you almost draw a circle with your wand, fast and smooth... See, like this." He shows the wand movement. "Well, try it out, all of you. Very good, Pansy. Padma, try to make the movement a bit faster and remember in one go."

I concentrate on trying the wand movement myself. I feel like I am getting the hang of it.

"Yes, yes," Flitwick interrupts. "Okay, I think most of you have the feel for the first part of the wand movement." He again shows us what we had just practised. "Now the second part is a sharp, downward jab, almost a stabbing motion." He then shows the jabbing motion, then quickly followed by a gentle called out "Bombarda" that breaks a porcelain vase. Pieces shatter in all directions. I shut my eyes closed as a piece is headed directly my way, but when the blow does not come I open my eyes and see that all students were shielded by a charm. "Okay, now try the wand movement without the incantation."

Later one by one we were called forward to try the charm in front of the entire class, while flitwick carefully held up shield charms. It was a really cool class. I had always wanted to blow something up. Of course as a child I had accidently blown up some things, but never on purpose. I used to shatter the glasses filled with milk when I was really young and I did not want to drink it.

I felt nervous walking to the front of class. I smirked at the vase. I was determined to shatter it. I energetically did the wand wavement. "Bombarda!" My heart rate speeds up as I see it shatter. I smile broadly, feeling a bit breathless.

Next was DADA. Professor Moody limped forward. "I am your new defence agains dark arts teacher. I am here because Dumbledore asked me to, end of story." He looked just as grim as he did when he entered the great hall during the welcoming feast. "Put away your books," Moody shouts gruffly. "I believe in a more practical approach. I have heard last year you covered most dark creatures, but your knowledge of curses is falling behind. I have one year to cover the subject." He preens at the class. "Dumbledore agreed with me it would be best to show what you are up against, instead of just learning the counter curses." He looks darkly. "First, can anybody tell me how many unforgivable curses there are?"

"Three, sir," Granger answers.

"Can you tell me why they are called unforgivable?" Moody then asks.

"Because they are unforgivable" Granger says, "The use of one of them will..."

"Lead to a one-way ticket to Azkaban, correct Granger," Moody interrupts. "The ministry thinks you are too young to see what these curses do, I say different. You need to know what you are up against. You need to be prepared. Constant vigilance!"

Moody then turns his back to the class and looks at the chalk board. He then abruptly turns and chucks a chalk towards the back of class. "You need to find another place to stick your chewing gum, mister Finnigan, instead of the back of your table."

"Does he have eyes on the back of his head or something," Finnigan blurts out.

"Which curse shall we see first.. Mister Weasley! Stand up." Moody then shouts. "Give us the first curse."

"Well," Weasly answers hesitating, "My dad did tell me about one, the imperious curse.

Moody nodded gruffly. "Mhmmyeah your father would know all about that.. it gave the ministry quite a bit of grief a few years ago. Perhaps this will show you why." He then walks forward and tilts up a spider from a glass container. His wand is pointed at the spider. I feel uncomfortable. First Moody enlarges the spider and then he casts imperio on it, making it dance, jump on tables. Patil screams when the spider lands on her desk looking at it with large eyes. I chuckle a bit hesitantly. The spider then jumps on other students.

I guffawk. "What are you laughing at?" Moody bursts out, the spider lands on my face, I feel two hairy legs on my chin, one on my lip, three on my cheeks, one on my eyelid and one on my nose. "Get it off," I say feeling my heart fluttering rapidly. I want it of me.

"Talented isn't she," Moody shouts. "What shall I do next, flick her out of the window?" The spider is finally off me. It does not fly out the window, but lands on the glass, then the spider is bungling above a glass. "Let her drown herself?" Moody then almost whispers. "Many witches and wizards claimed they only did you-know-whos bidding because they were under influence of the imperious curse, but here's the thing, how do we sort out the liars?"

"Another one now, come on," Moody urges the class. "Neville Longbottom, isn't it? Up. Professor Sprout tells me you have an aptitude for herbology. Can you tell me one of the others?"

"The cruciatus curse," Neville answers.

"Come, come," Moody urges Neville closer. "The torture curse," he whispers. "Crucio." The spider starts wrenching and it lets out a painful squeak. Neville looks pale and covers his ears with his hands. For a minute he looks frozen and unable to move.

Granger then interrupts Moody, who looks concentrated to the spider. "Stop it, can't you see it's bothering him? Stop it."

Moody clears his throat and picks up the spider puts it on Granger's desk. "Well, perhaps you could give us the last unforgivable curse?" She shakes her head, looking teary. "Hmm, no? Avada kedavra." Moody then looks at Potter. "The killing curse. The only person to have survived it is sitting in this room."


	49. Chapter 49 SPEW

I was talking to Ginny when Greg came in with a ridiculous badge. "Spew?" I ask. "Please tell me you are joking?"

Greg looked defiantly at me. 'Not spew,' said Greg impatiently. 'It's S – P – E – W. Stands for the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare.'

I frown at him. "Why do you have those badges? I am sure you know how idiotic this is? House elves like serving us and your dad won't like it." Then as an afterthought I add: "Never heard of this society thing."

Greg sighs. "Of course, you haven't, Hermione only just started it."

"She did?" I feel a bit unsure of how to react.

Ginny tactfully reaches out and grabs one of the badges and looks at them with mild amusement. "She could not come up with something else than spew? I cannot imagine many people wanting to walk around with that on a badge."

Greg smiles lightly. "She first wanted to use Stop the atrocious? no, Outrageous Abuse of Our Fellow Magical Creatures and Campaign for a Change in Their Legal Status – but it wouldn't fit. And next she chose this."

I'm looking carefully at Greg. Is he serious or joking? I hope joking, but feel quite certain that he in fact is quite serious. "And what are the aims of the society?"

Greg looks a bit unsure suddenly. 'Our short-term aims are to give house-elves wages and better working conditions. Our long-term aims include changing the law about non-wand-use, and trying to get an elf into the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, because they're under-represented.'

I scrutiny Greg. "And how would you plan all that?"

"Well," Greg says a bit sheepishly. "We are seeking members. Two Sickles to join." I snort. Greg continues a little louder. "It will give you a nice, little badge as well."

"Can't I pay not to wear the badge?" I blurt out.

Ginny gives me a light push, pays the two sickles to Greg and puts the badge on her robes. While she is walking out of the common room, presumably already heading to the great hall for dinner, she gives me a pointed look.

"Bye Gin," Greg says with a wave. He then looks very seriously at me. "Alright. You're acting all arrogant. Now it will be two galleons for a S.P.E.W. badge and you are going to wear it. Did you not support Vin with Buckbeak?"

I shove two galleons in his hands. "Vin never made me wear stupid badges." I complain softly, while Greg is putting the badge on me. Great, now everyone can see me wear this idiotic thing! What would Severus say?

"Perfect," Greg says smugly. "Lets head to dinner." On our way to the great hall we walked into Hermione, Weasley and Potter.

'And you think we want to walk around wearing badges saying "spew", do you?' said Weasley.

"We're heading to the great hall for dinner," Greg tells me a bit forcefully, while tugging softly on my arm.

'S – P – E – W!' said Hermione hotly. 'I was going to put Stop the Outrageous Abuse of Our Fellow Magical Creatures and Campaign for a Change in Their Legal Status – but it wouldn't fit. So that's the heading of our manifesto.' Well, Greg certainly had not joked about it. 'I've been researching it thoroughly in the library. Elf enslavement goes back centuries. I can't believe no one's done anything about it before now.'

'Hermione – open your ears,' said Ron loudly. 'They. Like. It. They like being enslaved! Tell me, have you even been able to recruit a single member?'

Hermione sounds hurt. "Greg has joined and has offered to become a treasurer and I just thought.."

Ron's ears grow red. "Of course, the only person willing to wear such a stupid badge is your stupid boyfriend."

I smoothly interrupt their fight. "Greg told me you were still looking for a secretary, of course I would be happy to be aiding your organisation." I feel Weasley's hot glare on me. Take that, Weasley. "I hope you do not mind I contributed two galleons instead of sickles?"

Hermione looks at me surprised.

"Honestly," Weasley sputters. "You cannot believe that a Malfoy would care about house elf rights?" Potter looked a bit skeptical as well. Hermione crosses her arms over each other.

"Of course I can, Ronald," she says hotly. "Draco is not his father and has treated me much kinder than you have the last few days." Weasley walks away muttering angrily. Potter looks a bit sheepishly at us, unsure what to do.

"Vin, Pansy and Ginny joined as well," Greg then says shyly.

Hermione gives Greg a thankful smile. I walk into the great hall. "Nice badge," Pansy greets me. I chuckle. "You as well," I say back. I had not expected her to wear one. My look must have conveyed that somehow. "It's kind of sweet, is it not?" Pansy asks with a sigh. "He is so supportive of her and he must realize how idiotic her cause is." Aah, she likes the romance. That explained a lot, especially that she was wearing a green badge with S.P.E.W. on it. Greg joins us later and I notice Potter is wearing an orange S.P.E.W. badge.


	50. Chapter 50 Imperious

Classes get busier. Near the end of October, a poster informs the students that the delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving on October 30 in the evening. After potions class I waited till everyone had left. "Draco," Severus says, "How good to see you. How are you?" I was glad he did not say anything about the badge, I was sure he had taken notice.

"Good," I answer.

Severus looks sceptically. "You look a bit sullen."

"I do not like professor Moody," I admit.

"I hope he has not given you any trouble," Severus says warmly. "I would be more than happy to convey some worries to the headmaster about the new Defence against Dark Arts teacher."

"No," I quickly say. "It was just a bit.. disturbing." And it had been, I realise now, it had just happened so quick at that time I barely took notice. Severus nods, showing that he is listening. "Did professor Moody really get permission from Dumbledore to show us the unforgivable curses?" Severus slightly inclines his head. I can see from the look on his face that he actually agreed with this decision. "You think we should see this?"

Severus then hesitates. It is clear he formulates his next words carefully. "If things go downhill once more, it might be good to know what you will be up against, would it not?"

"I guess so," I say. "It was not only seeing it. Those curses. It was the way he taught, as if casting those spells brought him great pleasure."

Severus shortly interrupts. "I can ensure you that Moody was one of the aurors that never killed if he could avoid it. Moody may seem harsh but he is not as bad as you are making him out to be."

"And he made it sort of personal." I shift in the chair. "When Weasley told him the first curse, imperious, he was all like, your father would know about that one and with the cruciatus curse he just ushered Longbottom to the front so he'd clearly see the spell on the spider and with the killing curse he started all about Potter and how he was the only one to ever survive it."

Severus looks a bit surprised. "I think Moody has forgotten how he was before he was hardened by the war, I will mention it to Dumbledore. I believe however you now have class. Good luck." I get the feeling he knows exactly whose class I have and what the class will be about.

Professor Moody looks just as grim as last time. "Today You will get a chance to fight off the imperious curse." And we did. I felt horrified. I did not want my turn to come. Everyone till now had done what Moody said, almost without second thought. Of course some seemed a bit more hesitating, like Hermione, Greg and Theo had been. And some had seem incredibly eager, like Weasley and Pansy.

Then it was Potters turn. It took him four times and then he was able to throw it off as he painfully bashed against the solid desk. Of course after that example it was my turn. I felt myself grow defiant. If Potter could do it, surely I could as well.

"Imperio," professor Moody said.

It was the most wonderful feeling. I felt a floating sensation as every thought and worry in my head was wiped gently away, leaving nothing but a vague, untraceable happiness. It was almost as if I was dreaming. "Dance," I heard a voice in my mind. I felt only bliss as I listened to the voice. He then lifted the imperius curse from me and I was left feeling embarrassed.


	51. Chapter 51 Cassius

On the 30th, all students line up to welcome the guests. I felt excited and chatter happily with Ginny and Pansy. Beauxbatons arrives in a great flying carriage. From the carriage emerges the Headmistress, Madame Maxime. She is oversized and attractive. The students look underdressed for the cold weather, shivering the Beauxbaton students are led into the castle to warm up. Soon from the lake emerges a great ghostly ship, from which the Durmstrang students, led by the shifty, shrewd-looking Karkaroff, file onto dry land. One of these students, is the Bulgarian Seeker, Viktor Krum, I notice excitedly. Soon I notice Victor has taken a liking to Hermione, to the annoyance of Greg.

In the great hall later that night I feel my stomach rumble excitedly. Ludo Bagman and Barty Crouch joined at the teacher tables to help judge and the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang also join in the great hall. Victor Krum winds up sitting near to some of the older Slytherins, next to Cassius Warrington. I excitedly try to draw Victor Krum into conversation and notice Ginny joins in a little as well. I barely notice Pansy chattering to Cassius who had just lost his conversation partner.

At the end of the feast Dumbledore stands up. "Welcome everyone at Hogwarts. Beginning tonight the goblet of fire will be accepting candidates. If you wish to enter the tournament, you only have to place your name on a slip of paper and put it inside the goblet. However, the tournament should not be seen lightly. Our candidates will brave great dangers. I have drawn an age line around its perimeter, meaning that no one under the age of seventeen can approach."

The next morning as I walk to the great hall for breakfast I greet the Weasley Twins and look amusedly along with Ginny and Theo. Many people seemed to be watching the Goblet just to see who would be willing to enter the tournament. "We did it," one of the Weasley twins said, smiling happily at Ginny. "Just conjured it up this morning." He shows a small bottle to the crowd.

"It's not going to work," Hermione says matter-of-factly to Greg. One of the twins looks amusedly at her. "And why is that?" Hermione raises her eyebrow. "Did you not hear Dumbledore last night? He drew an age line himself around it. He is not going to be fooled by something as simple and stupid as an age line." The twin then answers confidently: "Ooh but that's why it is so brilliant. Because it is so pathetically dim-witted." He then stands next to the other twin. "Ready Fred?" "Ready George," comes the answer. THey both gulp down the entire substance in the small bottles and start to age.

They then jump into the age line and as they are not immediately thrown out, people start cheering on them. I find myself clapping along for them, as they twins, barely believing it themselves are doing a little victory dance. Then together they throw in their papers and do a high five. Next they are thrown out of the ring and fall down on the floor harshly. When they stand up both are wearing large, grey beards that could rival Dumbledore's. I snort.

I then walk into the great hall. I keep thinking about entering myself, but I had no idea how to. At least now I knew I should not use an ageing potion. I got my answer when I early entered class. Severus greeted me warmly as no one was here yet. "Fools. Using an aging potion to pass Dumbledore's age line." I chuckle. "About one thing they were right though. You need to try something pathetically dim-witted to pass the age line." He did not say what it was, but that night I had an idea.

At dinner Pansy abruptly stood up as Cassius and Krum neared us. I immediately caught Krum in a conversation. Pansy offered him her seat and sat shyly next to Cassius who looked pleased. Some older girl also seemed interested in Cassius and was asking him about entering the tournament. He had seemed a bit hesitating. Pansy had looked a bit sour at that point. I then was drawn back in to conversation about quidditch with Ginny and Krum.

That night I went up to Cassius Warrington.

"Are you going to put your name in for the tournament?" I ask. I knew he had not yet done so.

Cassius looks a bit suprised. "I, well, maybe." I hear some reluctance and get the idea that he likes the attention of people seeing him as an Hogwarts champion, but does not seem keen on actually entering.

I smirk. "I think you are too chicken."

Cassius glares. "I think you are just a windbag. You cannot enter anyway so you can just say whatever you want. You cannot join either way, right?"

I smirk even more. "Enter me then. I, of course, cannot enter the age line, but you can."

"And You'd think that would work?" Cassius asks. "Did you not see the Weasley twins? Dumbledore put it up himself."

I shake my head. "Those twins were right about one thing: You need to try something pathetically dim-witted to pass the age line. That is why this idea is so brilliant."


	52. Chapter 52 Hogwarts champion

I feel impatient as the other champions are announced. Victor Krum becomes the champion for Durmstrang. I could potentially be chosen. Cassius eventually had put in a piece of paper on which I had written my name. Then Fleur Delacoeur is called out as the champion for Beauxbatons. I sit up a bit straighter.

"And the champion for Hogwarts is," Dumbledore announces. I draw in a big breath. "Cassius Warrington!" I feel stunned. Of course it would have been stupid to expect to have been chosen. I was only a fourth year, was I not? I had just not expected Cassius to have been chosen. He had not even wanted to enter. Cassius looks even more stunned than me and after a light push from Pansy walks forward, while the whole school is cheering on him.

Then the cup flares up again: but did we not already have our champions? With a low, forcefully calm voice, Dumbledore speaks the next name. "Harry Potter!" I feel myself glaring at Potter. Next to a champion that did not even want to enter a fourth year was chosen? Of course it could be no one except Potter. He looks genuinely shocked as he stumbles to the front, where Dumbledore drags him to the room where all other champions have been chosen. The other school heads look as indignated as I felt.

Later Dumbledore announced that Potter would have to contest as his name was somehow submitted to the goblet as it would be more than unwise to break an unbreakable contract.

Later in the common room Cassius is loaded with compliments and questions in the common room. I feel jealousy burn and feel Pansy tug my arm. "Let's just sit over there," she looks a bit sullen and sends longing glances to Cassius. Cassius then loudly yawns and then announces even school champions need sleep too. Some of the girls surrounding him giggle, attracting a glare from me and Pansy as well for some reason.

We are playing gobbstones as Pansy shrieks softly as she is picked up by a stranger who walks calmly towards the exit of the common room. She looks pleased at the boy I cannot recognize from this angle. I know I shouldn't, but I follow them. Just outside the common room, where it is eerily quiet, the boy puts Pansy down, who immediately hugs him. "You! I thought you had forgotten me," She says playfully, unable to keep herself from smiling. I really should go back to the common room. "I thought you had not wanted to be a Hogwarts champion."

The boy kisses her quickly. "Maybe I wanted to be your champion," he smoothly says. I suddenly recognise Cassius Warrington. Liar! You barely had the guts to put in your own name. Probably never had if it was not for me.

I see Pansy frown. "We spoke about it."

"Yes," Cassius says firmly. "First time we spoke you told me you thought I would make a great champion and that it would be brilliant if someone from Slytherin, especially me, would represent our school."

Pansy sighs. "And later I told you that it would be stupid to gamble with your life. Like you said: it may be flattering that people see you as a worthy champion now, but weren't you rather successful as an obliviator working for the ministry instead of this flashy thing which no one would remember anyhow in a few years?"

"Well," Cassius hesitates. "Your second boyfriend is here." He nods at me. Pansy turns quickly, stares surprisedly at me and then colours. "It was his idea. He was all like: you are a chicken and put my name in and Hogwarts will have a real champion and.."

Pansy looks angry. "And what?"

"I don't know," Cassius says. Pansy puts her hands on her hips. "I mean. Maybe I was jealous. He dated you once, you know, and I like having you around, talking to me and I wanted to show I would be a better champion then.."

"Then who?" Pansy says flabbergasted. "An idiotic fourth year that has a pride so big he cannot even think for a second to imagine how stupid and dangerous it would be to slip in his name?" I draw in a sharp breath. I would be a good champion. "So you threw in your names, didn't you?"

Cassius throws her an apologizing look. Her glare melts and she suddenly smiles shyly. "And you like having me around?"

Cassius shrugs. "I guess."

Pansy bites her lips. "You were jealous as well and.." She then seems to realize my presence. "I am so writing your mother. You can be such an idiot." She then shakes her head at me, looks back at Cassius and gives him a flirtatious smile. I quickly go back to the common room.


	53. Chapter 53 Morning mail

Pansy had not joked about writing my parents. I chuckled.

 _Dear Draco,_

 _How could you be so incredibly irresponsible to try to enter a tournament in which people have died? How could you even think to put your dear old mother through that? How could you care so little for your safety! Yada, yada. Seriously though, son, try to think things through and not give your mother such frights. You are lucky I have talked her out of sending a howler. I have seen your grades and they do insinuate a mind more than capable, even if hormones are trying to hijack your body at times. Act like it._

 _Either way, I hope you are enjoying your time at Hogwarts and are doing well in your classes. Take delight in the tournament from the sidelines. We miss you and can't wait till the holidays._

 _Lucius._

I put the letter away and look at the newspaper. An article of the triwizards champions is sporting on the first page. Four pages are dedicated to Potter, Warrington seems to have been entirely forgotten and the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons champions are briefly mentioned. I feel a small smirk tugging. What has this horrible reporter concocted?

"Don't tell me you think that's actually funny?" Ginny acidly asks me.

I stare at her. "He is, I quote, crying every night about his parents death. He is endangering himself by compulsively searching for attention and admitting himself to the tournament. Worse, he is tragically in love with Hermione. What will Greg say? This is.."

"Utter bullshit," Ginny finishes. Not exactly the word I would have used. "Look at him." Potter looks miserable. "I really want to hex my brother for being such an idiot." Weasley is sporting a badge with Potter stinks/support the real hogwarts champion and nastily sneers at Potter. "None of it is funny. How would you have liked it if you'd grown up without parents, I bet you would actually cry each night." Blaise chuckles appreciatively. "He did not ask to be admitted to the tournament, neither for this horrible article."

I frown. "Jealous that your crush is hopelessly devoted to the 'at best ordinary-looking miss Granger' who may or may not have drugged him with love potion as 'she is more than a capable student in potion class' and has 'unflattering large buckled teeth that cannot be ignored how ever hard you try and dull muddy eyes and a more boring personality than professor Binns who is still droning on about the first war with goblins ever since his installment as a teacher in 1920."

I get smacked painfully with a book. "That is my girlfriend you are talking about, idiot. If Potter would be hopelessly devoted to her, I cannot possibly fault him for seeing how beautiful, charming and smart she is."

I smile sheepishly. Pansy glares at me as well. "Incendio," I then say, putting the newspaper on fire.

Pansy shakes her head at my antics. "That's better."


	54. Chapter 54 Quidditch

We are sitting at the lake. Ginny groans loudly. "I hate the eighteenth century goblin rebellion." She exclaims loudly. "Three inches!"

"Was that with Ragnuk the first?" Potter asks puzzled. He sits covered by a few bushes. A bit farther Hermione and Greg sit together holding hands. Hermione is reading and Greg is lazily hanging against the tree with his eyes closed.

I roll my eyes. "No, he was the king of the goblins in the eleventh century. He made the sword of Gryffindor."

"We could play quidditch, if I did not have to finish this," Ginny offers innocently.

"Interesting," I say. "Maybe I like seeing you enjoy the delight of the goblin rebellions.." I dig in after a few second. Only because I want to play quidditch. I lean towards her so I can look at her parchment so far. It is blank. I squint my eyes at the paper as if I can't read what she has written and need to be closer to it. I lean against her shoulder. "Well, you haven't come very far without my help, have you?" I teasingly say.

"Oh shut up," she says.

"Albert Boot, first, was minister of magic. In 1747 Urg the Unclean started the goblin rebellion. You know: the usual. Goblins were angry for being treated as second order citizens, not being allowed wands and still angry about Gryffindor's sword being passed on without further payment to its maker or owner. They rioted against discrimination and prejudice and have closed Gringrotts for a hundred and fifty days, after which in 1752 Boot retired and Basil Flack took office. He lasted two months while the goblins sided with the werewolves. Then Hespeatus Gore took over and was more successful. However not before in 1762 Vargot was killed. I think those were the most important things. And just mention blood and gory battles as much as you can, then you've got the idea."

She is hastily scribbling her paper.

"Why do you know all that stuff?" Potter asks surprised.

"I read books, Potter," I say.

"Be nice," Ginny says. "Let us just find some brooms?"

On our way to the broom shed, we walk past Hagrid who takes Potter aside roughly for a few seconds. We get to play two rounds of quidditch: all playing as seeker. One time Ginny wins and one time Potter.

The next day I am talking to Hermione and Greg, Pansy and Cassius, when Potter abruptly storms in. "Dragons- that is the first task."

Cassius looks flabbergasted. "I-, Why are you telling me?"

"Everyone knows," Potter says impatiently. "We have to retrieve something from them."

He looks a bit akwardly at us and then walks away. Hermione stands up. "I should go help in." Greg follows her.

"He is not serious, is he?" Pansy asks with a shrill voice.

Cassius looks a bit pale. "I think so, but I will be fine. I entered myself didn't I?"

Later that day we are sitting in the middle of heaps of spell books along with Cassius, Pansy, Vince and Theo. Most spells that are effective against dragons are very advanced. I feel bad. Maybe I should not have dared him to enter the tournament. "You know," Pansy huffs. "It would be so much easier if dragons did not breathe fire, I mean whatever you have to retrieve you could just accio, so you probably don't have to be flattened."

"Maybe we could prank it? To distract it," I propose. "Instead of taking it out. Those spells are easier and since they do not have to harm the dragons it would not need to be super strong?"

"Prank it?" Pansy says a bit hesitantly.

"Like a bat-boogey hex, you mean?" Ginny offers as she walks past, chattering happily with Astoria.

Pansy huffs. "I do not want my boyfriend toasted! It will sprout off fire into every direction."

"Maybe we could make its teeth grow so it can no longer sprout of fire with desaugeo?"

Pansy shrieks: "And give it sharp teeth to snap him in two like a twig."

Okay maybe not the best idea. "You could conjure birds so it does not target you with avis? Or use a cracker jinx?"

"Dragons are smart creatures. It won't be fooled by something like that," Pansy huffs. She is getting impatient as she visibly grows more nervous. "He is not fighting a damn troll."

"Or maybe..


	55. Chapter 55 First task

Cassius Warrington was facing a Swedish short snout. It was silvery blue. Pansy's nails are digging in my arm. Greg also looks a bit pained and I see Hermione is harshly holding his arm. I hope fervently that our plan is as fullproof as we were trying to convince Pansy it was, without telling it to her.

Cassius looks uncertain. The dragon breathes brilliant blue flames. I can feel the heat of it in my seat and am sure that even while it was not even directed at Cassius it would have been painfully hot.

"Morsus Ariolimax," He says. I feel nausea arising in my stomach. The dragon looks unaffected and ready to breathe fire, but instead four yellow slug are puked up. It roars in rage and confusion. It looks menacingly at a beyond relieved Cassius, who then summons the egg. The dragon then tries to burn him down again, puking up sixteen slugs. Pansy's grip loosens. He almost catches the egg: the dragons tries again: twenty-one slug. I cheer loudly. He catches the egg. Then the dragon succeeds: its majestic bright-blue flames burn everything away. However Cassius already left the cage.

Pansy takes off towards Cassius. I breathe in deeply. I did not kill him yet by entering him into the competition. Next was Fleur Delacour, who charmed her dragon, a common Welch, to sleep. Next Victor Krum, who blinded its dragon. Lastly Potter, who summoned his broom and outflew it. Cassius and Potter tied first place, Viktor second and Fleur third, as Fleur was charred lightly and Victor's dragon had crushed some of her eggs.

A few days later during transfiguration, professor McGonagall announces that the yule ball is fastly approaching and that the champions need to find a date to open the evening with a dance. Vin a few days later is looking pointingly at me. "Are you going to keep postponing it?"

"What do you mean?" I say defensively.

He rolls his eyes at me. "You should ask someone to the ball. If you wait too long the one you want is taken."

"I don't know what you mean," I say, crossing my arms.

"Of course you don't," Vin says. "You would definitely not mind Potter taking Ginny to the ball."

I glare. "He is not taking her."

"Why is that?" Vin says.

"He likes Cho," I scoff, "He is ogling her again."

Vin raises an eyebrow at me.

"Besides, don't you like her?" I ask hesitantly.

Vin smirks. "Oh come on, that was in second year! Me and Gin are friends."

I swallow, maybe I will ask her. "Who are you taking then?"

"Millicent," He says. "Now it's your turn,"

He then leaves as Ginny and Astoria walk past. "Hey! Hey- wait up," I exclaim as I see them. Why is Ginny always surrounded by friends? "What class are you heading to?"

Astoria giggles. "Charms."

"Shouldn't you head to class as well?" Ginny interrupts.

"Yeah," I say, feeling dejected. "Yeah, I will see you around I guess." I want to walk away, then Neville Longbottom hesitantly says hi to Ginny. "Would you like to go to the ball with me?"

Ginny looks surprised for a second. "Oh I am so sorry Neville! I already accepted to go with someone else and I had not expected.. Well, otherwise I would be too young to go if no one would go with me and.."

Neville blushes brightly and scurries away. I feel a stone drop on my stomach: she already had a date! Later in the common room I walk towards Astoria. "Be my date," I say fairly confident, "For the ball."

She giggles and agrees to go with me. At least I have someone nice to go with. Astoria was pretty as well. She had a slender body and was tiny. She had long blond hair, a heart-shaped face and kind eyes that were nice to look at after a tiring day. She always sported a shy smile.


	56. Chapter 56 Yule1

It was the night of the yule ball. I looked in the mirror. I wore fancy robes and my hair was put back neatly. Along with VIn I walked towards the doors of the ladies bedroom. Greg was already climbing stairs to meet with Hermione. I felt nervous. Ginny came out, looking stunningly and she walked into Blaise arms. I stare at her. "You look beautiful," He compliments her as he guides her along to the great hall.

"Stop staring," Vin hisses. "You'll look like an idiot staring off into empty air. You've got a stunning date called Astoria, remember?" I nod.

To be honest, Astoria looks incredible as well. Her hair is slightly curly and she is sporting a beautiful smile. She walks incredibly graceful and wears a green dress that tightly wraps her tiny body.

I smile nervously at her. I had forgotten how scary a date could be. Had I been this nervous when I had gone out with Pansy or had it been easier since we were good friends? I swallow quickly. Stop looking at her as an idiot! "You are looking nice! I mean great- fantastic!" Great, I sound as a stuttering idiot.

I walk with her to the great hall. The champions are now going to open the ball. "I cannot wait to see Ginny," Astoria squeals. I give her a confused glance, but she is focused on the door. First Cassius Warrington walks in, with Pansy in his arms. She is looking extremely happy. They dance very elegantly. Next is Krum with Ginny. After which Fleur entered with a dazed-looking Roger Davies. Lastly Potter clumsily walked in along with one of the Patil sisters. I frown. He had the guts to fight a dragon, but not to ask Cho out? I then spot her with a Hufflepuff I recognise as Cedric Diggory.

Then after the opening dance I walk onto the dance floor with Astoria. I had always seen her as too girly to like quidditch, but it seemed I was wrong. "Wait, you like quidditch?"

Astoria lightly pushes me, gives an elegant twirl and continues dancing with me. I smile surprisedly at her. "Of course I do. Do you think I would have survived being Ginny's best friend If I had not cared for the game? I would love to be on the team, you know? I am actually a surprisingly good beater." I look sceptically at her. She looks way too frail to be a beater. A light breeze could probably push her off her broom! "Ginny thought it was impressive with my size and all."

I nod. "Well, then why don't you try out?"

She hesitates. "Well, I-" I frown. "There were no try-outs, were there? Anyway, I love Gwenog Jones. She is amazing, have you seen their last game?"

I nod. "I see Ginny has infected you with her love for the Holyhead Harpies.."

"No," She says. "I mean, there just aren't a lot of female quidditch players, especially not beaters. So I think Jones is great, but I support the Appleby Arrows."

I glance around, curious to see which students have paired up. Lily Moon and Theo. Neville Longbottom and Susan Bones. Daphne Greengrass and Blaise Zabini. Tacey Davis and Terry Boot. Seamus Finnigan and Wayne Hopkins. Dean Thomas and Hannah Abbott. Sue Li and Lisa Turpin. Stephen Cornfoot and Kevin Enthwhistle. Oliver Rivers and Fay Dunbar. "Shall we get a drink?" Astoria asks breathlessly.

My throat feels dry. I nod, certain that words will not come out in the right way.


	57. Chapter 57 yule2

Astoria hugs Ginny and then softly rests her long fingers on my shoulder. "You looked so adorable when you were opening the dance," She says. "You looked like you were having such good time!"

Krum looks a bit uncomfortable and gives a sharp nod. "We did," Ginny says, sounding a bit surprised, as if she had not expected to enjoy her evening this much. Greg and Hermione join. Greg looks like he wants to steal McGonagall's hat and stamp on it. Hermione looks a bit teary.

"What's up?" I ask.

"Weasley," Greg says darkly.

At that moment the twins interrupt. "Hey, don't blame us for our idiot brother." They are both sporting grins and are accompanying some girls that I recognize from the Gryffindor quidditch team. "Looking good, Gin," one of them says. "Yeah, you look brilliant," the other adds, giving Krum a sharp glance. "Better act like a gentleman, Krum."

"I thought we were going to spike the punch and have a little drink," one of the twin's date says lightly. "Not threaten your little sisters boyfriend."

"You heard none of that," one of the twins says, giving us a wink before walking off.

"Anyway Ronald," Hermione says shrilly. "Has accused me of fraternizing with the enemy for going with Greg to the ball. As the Hogwarts champion is from Slytherin." I couldn't care less about Ronald or Potter. The Patil sisters neither, I guess, as they had left their moody dates and were dancing with some guys from durmstrang.

"Jealous git," Ginny mutters. "Well, don't listen to him. Have a nice night with Greg. You two look lovely together."

I shake my body a little as goosebumps travel over my skin. Astoria's voice had been soft and her lips almost touched my earlobe. "Want some spiked punch?"

Wicked.


End file.
